Heavenly Spirit, Earthly Revolt
by F-14 Tomcat Lover
Summary: Tenchi Masaki discovered that the life he thought he knew was more complicated than he thought. Now he has several girls and women living with him, a younger sister to worry about, and two destinies appearing before him. While he thought his life would be simple, he finds himself with great power and the desire to start a revolution. For with great power comes great responsibility.
1. Chapter 1

_**Heavenly Spirit, Earthly Revolt**_

 _ **Chapter One**_

 _ **No Need For Finding Trouble!**_

 **XXXX**

 **March 7th, 2062 ATB**

 **A small shrine in the woods in Okayama Prefecture, Chūgoku Region**

 **XXXX**

"Ten-chi," an old voice calls out, but no answer, _"Tenchi!"_ it calls again, _**"TENCHI!"**_ the voice shouts as aged, but sharp eyes look about not finding the boy in question.

All that is to be found was the shrine, nature, and abandoned cleaning supplies such as a broom and bucket with a cloth on the lip. It is clear that the boy in question had shirked his duties again. The old man sighs as he knew that boy would be slippery.

"Hmm…" the owner thinks with some reflection on why he shouldn't let the boy be when he has energy, "Now where did he go?"

Then as soon as that left his lips, he realizes just where the boy would be, as his eyes settle on the location indeed with a slight smirk.

 **XXXX**

In an office, a boy is going through things, being careful not to leave anything out of place. He pauses at one point to pop his shoulders and neck. He's been at it for a while now. He is rifling through some books and writings before shifting to some other drawer.

In that drawer is just useless tidbits and some other items like glue, pliers, and why is there a book on 5th Century China? Then the book slips from its paper cover and the boy couldn't help his face heating up. He knows the old man could act young, but _really_ , a First Edition _and_ signed _**Toki-chan**_ Book? What is he, a priest or a pervert?

Well? Either way...

He knows he should be doing his work, but he is going to find out today! And nothing, not even the old man, is going to stop him!

"Come on!" he says to himself in complaint, "Where are they?" as he goes through the desk, having looked elsewhere, knowing how crafty the old man really is and then it clicks, "Damn! He has them on him."

Now it is a question of getting them from the owner. It would be hard at best. The man is old, but sly and moves like he was barely older than the teenage boy. No doubt his sister would be enlisted to help stop him. That is just how the old man is.

Plus it would work too.

Suddenly the shoji crashes open and he jumps in surprise. He looks over to see a cat sleeping peacefully, hardly disturbed. It isn't the first time this had happened, so it was ignoring the whole commotion. Yet the door was open and it had been _slammed_ open. So if he were the old man…

 **XXXX**

"Oh!" the old man shows some surprise, holding the black haired teen back after the failed attempt to throw a punch at him, "Nice try Tenchi, you've gotten to thinking with your head now, haven't you?"

"It got Hinata and me by until you found us grandpa, ugh!" Tenchi's royal purple eyes look into his grandfather's own royal purple eyes, "So I figure I should start using it more often, ERH!" he broke free, "HAH!" and dives right back in, "I'll be taking those- YEE-AAH!" he was sent tumbling across the room to land at least in a sitting position, "Dammit!"

Chuckling good naturally, the old man, Masaki Katsuhito, reaches into his haori and pulls out a large ring with old fashion keys on it, "So these are what you are after, eh?" he chuckles, the boy is brightening up, after all, he had a good head on his shoulders, just a question of what it contains, "You were thinking of finally getting into the cave, weren't you now," it is a statement as he continued, "It is the ancient law of this Masaki Shrine and you are no exception to that legacy," chuckling somewhat amused, leaning back on his desk with one leg helping to support him, the other adding a bit of cushioning, and idly noting his Toki-chan book is laying on its side, bookmark appearing in place, but he is unsure if it is or isn't. "But you really want to have a look inside that cave, don't you now," the old man chuckles again.

"If I didn't, I wouldn't be trying to sneak off with the keys!" Tenchi declares, looking like a bull preparing to charge.

"As stubborn as me, aren't you," again a statement as he places the keys back into his haori and then pats where he put them, "Well, come get them if you can and let's see how good you really are."

"You can bet on that!" the teenager charges after a second of hesitation to see and plan his moves.

 _"Brother enough!"_ a younger girl's voice orders and Masaki Tenchi trips, his punch becoming weak as it is easily caught -again- and even as he turns to look at the speaker, he is suddenly spun over his outstretched axis into the closet doors, going through one as it bent and collapses under his weight and impact, _**"BROTHER?!"**_ the girl with sandy brown hair and her own royal purple eyes gasps as she saw the boy in mingled into the wreckage, "You should know better," her shocked and horrified expression have changed to one that is a 'Told You So' as she gives a suffering sigh.

"Back to chores Tenchi," their grandfather stands up and stretches a little, even that weak punch had some power behind it, even if the old man isn't going to say anything, sounding entirely bored with the matter, "That's also a part of your training," and with that, he walks out.

Once the girl is sure he is out of earshot, "Did you get them?" she looks hopeful, she is at that age where she has been warned with her brother that curiosity killed the cat.

Tenchi glances over his shoulder, almost fearing Hinata had been too quick, but there is no sign of their grandfather. So with a happy look on his face, he turns around to reveal the keyring clamped between his teeth with the keys gently rustling as he smiles, to some degree. Hinata lets out a smothered giggle at seeing the keys and moves to free her brother.

 **XXXX**

"We _are_ so in _trouble_ later!" she declares happily as they run through the forest. Masaki Hinata in her Miko-in-Training Haori and Hakama while her brother wears his apprentice clothes of long pants and a short sleeved haori.

"Who _cares_!" Tenchi declares happily, "We got the keys and it's not like we're cats!"

Hinata only giggles more as they arrive at the gates to the sealed, old cavern that they have been told not to and forbidden to enter. They both have flashbacks of their grandfather catching them at those very gates on more than one occasion.

 **XXXX**

" _Tenchi! Hinata!" the two children jumped at hearing their names and turned to see their angry grandfather had caught them yet again. "What do you two_ think _you are doing here!? Why must you come time after time after time when you both know it is not allowed."_

 _Balling up his fist and raising his arm up, "Why is that grandpa?"_

 _Mimicking her brother, the blind Hinata did the same, "Yeah! Why?"_

 _With a mental sigh, the old man kneels down before his grandchildren, "I will tell you why my grandchildren," gently reaching up to steady Hinata, "A demon sleeps here."_

 _Both children are shocked and only his hold on his blinded granddaughter kept her from tumbling off her feet._

" _A demon? No," young Tenchi responds, his voice shocked and lower, almost instinctively afraid of waking a sleeping demon._

" _It's true," the old man's countenance is grim and serious, "Now listen carefully for I'm about to tell you both what really happened…"_

 **It was a long time ago…** _Tenchi's eyes are wide with a touch of worry, but he listens enraptured nonetheless._

 **A demon appeared from the sky…** _Hinata felt she could see the land centuries ago and the demon appearing high above._

 **It's strength was enormous and terrible…** _Both siblings could see the massive demon, standing taller than the mountains and looking terrible and evil._

 **It destroyed villages. Burned everything. And our people suffered greatly because of its evil powers…** _The two children could see the demon bellowing flames and torching entire buildings and large swaths of the forests. Crops burned and great fields became endless darkness of burned lands. Great rents forming in the very earth and mountains._

" _Wh-wh-what happened to the demon?" Tenchi asked, full of fear as he held his shaking sister close to him._

 **One day… A dragon appeared from the sky...** _The two siblings could see a dragon high in the sky, coming to do battle._

 **On its back, rode a mighty samurai…** _The ancient warrior appeared in their minds' eyes. Allowing them to see a warrior clad differently from the their own point of views, but they could see a brave warrior with sword in hand._

 **He fought the demon using a sword with great spiritual powers…** _The two could see the warrior plunging his fabled blade through the middle eye of the monster, bringing it down._

 **Now the demon sleeps. Held prisoner within this shrine…** _The two young children could make out the sleeping demon, bound and held down by great and mighty chains, seals dangling from them in a room hidden far beneath the ground._

 **The sword, planted into the ground, keeps watch over it…** _The majestic blade, sitting inside of stonework surrounded by a small shrine itself, glows with radiant light as it keeps the demon held in its prison and should it ever escape… Is ready to be drawn by a true hero to slay its charge once more._

 **That samurai was named Yosho, your ancestor children…** _A gentle, but handsome man appears in their imagination. Being hailed as a great hero for his deed. He appears humble and kind as he gently holds onto the hand of beautiful woman, who is very serene and happy with very kind eyes, much like their mother's eyes._

 **Tenchi, remember your name and what it means, Heaven and Earth…**

 **Hinata, remember your name and what it means, Into the Sun…**

 **Remember...**

 **XXXX**

For whatever reason, they both have a habit of finding their way here. Especially after their grandmother had passed away. There had been a strange feeling here. Like someone comforting them.

"Are we really going to enter?" Hinata suddenly sounds nervous and she is.

"Of course!" Tenchi is nervous, but come on! They played that act up so well, they will _never_ get another chance!

 _ **Ever!**_

"Okay!" Hinata tries to sound brave and does so, but she is still noticeably nervous.

Tenchi smiles and goes through the keys. Eventually, he gets the right one and the gate opens easily enough. Both go through in a few seconds and close the gate behind them. The hinges had been only so rusty, much to their surprise. So their grandfather must enter regularly to check on things. Well, more luck to them.

Something they both knew Tenchi has in spades.

So they begin the trek into the cave. They were told that a demon was slain by their ancestor some few hundred years ago. He used a sword that had the same name as Tenchi, the Tenchi-ken. It is said that both the demon and the Tenchi-ken were sealed into this cave. The demon's remains were kept imprisoned by the sword. So both want to see if it is all true.

In a couple of days, they'll be back with their uncle and going to school. So for now, they want this one last adventure. The only other excitement is a younger boy named Yamada Seina and some cousins named Kiriko, the oldest, and Kai, the younger brother. That was about it. So they are hoping for something more exciting and if all went well, they'd bring the other three in too.

They soon make it to the back of the cave. It isn't particularly long, but Hinata checks her watch and discovers they had been walking for a good twenty minutes, so it isn't particularly short either.

The path itself isn't too narrow or short. About three, maybe just under four meters tall and somewhere around a meter wide, give or take a few centimeters. Made out of the pure, tan rock all around and held up by study and strong wood timbers that brace the roof and walls. It is surprisingly well lit. A lot of holes and some simple gas torches keep plenty of light, but also leave enough shadow for the spooky effects to set in and even disrupt depth perception. Eventually, they spot the end of the tunnel. It is heavily lit by natural light and they can see it widens up quite a bit. So they now know they are at the end of the tunnel, literally or at least entering an ante chamber of some kind.

Once they are in the wide area, they discover a massive upside down stone jutting from the ceiling. It is covered in ancient scrawl and characters, some of which are lost to the modern era. Tied to it and extending to the walls of the cave are ceremonial ropes with seals hanging from them. They also see several old offerings, some holes that let in sunlight, and both are certain they can hear water.

It couldn't be...

Tenchi checks his phone's GPS and sure enough, "We're near Funaho!" he points up at an angle. "Just over that way by some couple dozen meters!"

 _"Wow!"_ Hinata declares as she looks at the roots and sure enough, a couple are the sacred tree's roots from how they are colored and the wood grows. "I found two of Funaho's roots!" she giggles happily. "Nice to find you at last!" she pats both and turns away, missing the slight glow they both quietly give off, but could strangely feel as though she had been thanked. "You're welcome!"

"Enough Hinata," Tenchi laughs heartily, still exuberant to see his sister so full of life again, he has to -again- push the painful memories away before he smiles devilishly in hopes of moving forward past that which is now the pass. "Now let's find that sword!" he declares grandly with his arms outstretched and with a massive, mischievous grin on his face causing Hinata to giggle happily and nod enthusiastically at the declaration.

With that, the two begin to search. Of course given how small the actual area they need to comb through, it is pretty simple and fairly easy. It is a traditional little placement and set up. A small shrine offering box that is nothing too big or too small and tucked in between a couple of boulders.

"I think this cave was formed during an avalanche," Hinata states taking a look around. The walls have a lot of seams and branches in between them. There is also a lot of variance in the sizes of the boulders and rocks to be found in the cave as well with noticeably no stalagmites and stalactites to be found. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought someone had just dug the cave quite recently, "It doesn't seem to be that natural of a cave."

Tenchi only nods as he too glances around, "That's what I figured myself."

Then he sets his eyes once more on the simple little temple box. A wooden stand could be seen extending beneath it indicating something long was inside. Something he bet is that sword they've heard so much about.

Tenchi then steps forward, leaving enough space for Hinata to see as well, and bringing his fingers up to the small tabs, opens the small doors to the offering box.

And there it is.

They both could see the hilt of the fabled sword. A sword once wielded by their ancestor some 400 years ago. A sword with an edge so keen, it can cut through solid rock.

Carefully and reverently, Tenchi gently removes the sword from its resting place. The sheath is long, simple, and brown. The hilt is wrapped by simple greyish white wrappings. The hilt is a simple cross hilt carefully covered in purple dye. The wooden pummel looks like the color of freshly cut wood with three red round stones unlike anything Tenchi and Hinata had ever seen embedded in it.

Something then falls from the shrine box, causing the two to jump briefly.

Hinata accidentally steps on it as she tries to find it. Picking her foot up and taking a step back, she squats down and picks up the item. As she returns to stand before her brother, she holds up what looks like a central portion of some kind of staff.

The color and design is very much like that of the sword pommel on both ends. The center is covered by greyish-white wrappings. The wrappings are held in place by a purple tassel tied onto the handle.

Hinata, holding the strange thing, finds it has to be a handle of some kind. It sits so comfortably in her hand. In some way, it feels like a missing piece of herself has been found. Very odd she considers it.

"Probably from a staff?" Tenchi wonders, "Could have been Yosho's wife's. Kasumi? Right?"

"Yeah," Hinata mumbles a bit surprised as she twists her hands and changes her grips, finding the staff handle to fit and move fluidly. "I wonder if it was broken at some time and placed here with Yosho's sword?"

Tenchi nodded, "Sounds logical."

Even as Tenchi said that, he found that holding the sword in his hands feels… natural. Like he is meant to hold this sword and keep it at his side. ' _Strange that,'_ as he decides unsheath the blade…

"Huh?" only to discover it is stuck, "Come on you!" he growls at the blade, drawing Hinata's attention who finds her brother struggling to draw the sword and the imagery is just pure comical until, "Eu-argh!" with a final grunt, Tenchi pulls the ancient sword from its sheath.

"Wha?" Hinata blinks at what she sees.

"Huh?" Tenchi also blinks as both behold a rusty, badly damaged sword and guard.

"I thought the guard was in good shape?" the girl tilts her face, looking less than pleased.

Tenchi's words are more focused, "Why it is only a rusty old piece of junk," he states with clear annoyance and disappointment in his tone, "Give me a break," he carelessly swings the sword downward, "The sword that cuts through a rock, ha!"

And accidentally shatters the sword on a nearby rock.

"AHHH! The sword Tenchi!" Hinata panics at seeing what Tenchi has done.

Tenchi at first panics as well, eyes bulging at the sight of what he has down, before suddenly, the rock he had struck the blade on… falls in two pieces, neatly cut down the center.

"WHA!?" Tenchi knows now his grandfather _will kill_ him for sure!

Then suddenly the cave quakes as both siblings turn to hearing rocks grinding on one another to see the central stalactite fall into the ground.

Both panic and run over to it, examining it for damage. Both are trying to come up with ways to put it back in place. The hinges earlier meant that their grandfather enters at various times. The offerings around them indicate that it has happened for some time that the caretakers would enter. They _have_ to come up with something and _fast_!

"At times like this, I wish Milly was around," Tenchi mutters in a panic.

During their inspection of the stalactite, neither notice the branches behind them crawling back and away from a strangely flat stone wall that is next to the small shrine box. Nor did they hear the crack that forms a near perfectly straight line in the middle. They also fail to hear the stone halves draw themselves into the walls like sliding gates.

It is only when the two stand together, facing the area in question that they notice it as Tenchi mutters, "Think genius," to himself.

"A passageway?" Hinata wonders in surprise.

"Got to be," Tenchi begins walking to it and notes it is wide enough for the two of them to slip through one at a time. "I'm going in to see what I can. Hinata, stay here," he informs his sister who nods as Tenchi manages to slip in and put his sandal clad foot into some water, "That's cold!"

"Tenchi?" Hinata questions from her side, having heard the splash.

"It's okay," turning to see what he could of the floor, he smacks his head into the low sitting ceiling, "Ow, my hea-AHHHHH!" he slips on the smooth surface and slides down the incline with a frightened cry.

"Tenchi!" Hinata more easily wiggles her way in and trips over the edge of one of the strange floor outlines and begins to slide down as well, "AHHHH!"

Tenchi has managed to slow himself down and twist to catch a couple of edges and stop his momentum. He turns to look down the rest of the incline, noticing the same, strange pattern in the entire floor going down. He also notes it is extremely dark and decides from that and the new bruises that will likely form on his back that he's had enough for one day.

As he begins to crawl back up, he accidentally loses his grip on the hilt. It slides down, near his knee. As he reaches for it, he notes that the guard and wrappings have come off, revealing a rather intricate design like roots or tree branches coming together to form the hilt. The coloring is just like the pommel that looks unnaturally organic with the handle. Tenchi also notes two prong-like stubs that are strangely purple and not by painting them or dying them, but naturally.

Then as he reaches for the hilt, he hears Hinata screaming and he looks up to find her crashing into him face first and sending both of them now screaming down the slide into the darkness below.

Tenchi groaned as he felt the sword hilt smack him in the head as it bounced off. He tried to lift his right arm to massage the place it had struck, only to find an impediment in the way. His are still adapting as he reaches out and tries to find the source of the impediment. He does not a heavy weight on top of him, that's soft and warm and covered in cloth.

"What the?" he lifts his head and puts his face right where he shouldn't have as his right hand finds something a bit round and squishy.

"Uh-Ahh!" Hinata lets out and Tenchi realizes as his eyes finally adjust to see his sister's own wide purple eyes.

Tenchi discovers much too late that the impediment is his sister's left leg. The place his hand is now and what it is groping, is his sister's left breast. And to top that all off, his face is right between his sister's legs. At the point where her future husband would be so that he can plant the seeds for their future children which is the same point the said future children would be coming from.

Now if it were to have been his first love or their crazy friend, he might be willing to risk a little more. Especially since they would have been at that age and the former would have been consensual and the latter eagerly wanting to do more.

But Hinata is neither his first love nor their crazy friend Milly.

Therefore, another form of natural response occurs...

"WAAHHHHH/KYAAAHHHH!"

Both siblings are seated with their legs beneath and a good two meters apart. Their faces are alight with blood brightening up their faces so much, they can easily see each other's faces in the dark cave they found themselves in. Their hearts pounded in their chests and the sound of blood filled their ears. Tenchi had both hands on his thighs, hands balled, while Hinata held a closed hand between her developing bosom and held the wrist with her other hand.

After a few moments, the two siblings begin to breath normally and their facial color is back to normal. While they don't look one another in the eye, they can put up with a bit of embarrassment. After all, Tenchi used to have to hand bath Hinata. Though it has been several years.

Enough for him to realize his sister's haori is really hiding just womanly she'll be when she's a woman.

He'll need to start planning how to beat the would-be suitors off much sooner than he would like.

The sooner, the better. Yes. He must defend his sister's honor and purity. For if he doesn't, who co-LD!"

Tenchi jumps up and down after putting his foot into some _really_ cold water. Now brought back to the realm of the physical here and now, he blinks at what he sees.

The cavern the two siblings had landed in is definitely _not_ natural. That much is as obvious as the Sun on a clear day at high noon. The roof looks like someone tried burying the place with a landslide. Successfully if Tenchi is honest and unfortunately, in this case, he would have to be. The floor though…

It is clear from the uniformed cuts and spacing that the unusual pattern of stone flooring is meant to allow water to pour through in a controlled manner. At the same time, the design is only partially Nipponese in aesthetics. For it looks truly alien as the siblings not the large circular pool in the center.

Hard to miss it. It's the light source for the entire chamber.

As the two sibling observe it, something blue passes just behind Tenchi. It casts off a strange sound. The two siblings turn, but there is nothing there.

Curiosity getting the best of them, they both shrug and carefully move forward.

The sound of their sandalled feet is not echoing or hidden. It sounds like any other time they walk on stone. Completely at odds with the horror movie genre.

The two approach the edge without a word. No words spoken as they get nearer and nearer. Normally, Tenchi would have Hinata hang back and wait for him. But not right now. Both seemed mesmerized by what they are seeing.

As such, as they approached, they did not notice the glow of the jewels that were in the sword hilt.

Stopping near the edge, Tenchi takes a big, nervous gulp. Hinata quietly licks her lips as they suddenly seem very dry. So far, all they can see is just an orb of glowing light in the pit, pool, whatever. There were three carved stone slabs around it. Two to its upper left and right that were small and a long one about a meter in length just below it. They were set at an angle in a slight slope set into the far side. Almost would have been a slide if not for the creepy factor.

Nevertheless, that appears to be it.

So with a sigh, Tenchi announces, "Oh so it's just some weird glowing light, okay," and before he can take more than a couple of steps forward, that's when he spots what else is in there.

For there, at the bottom, is what looks like a corpse.

What had at first appeared to be stone slabs and a light in a small slope, turns out to be the remains of a body. The small slabs are likely the knees. The 'meter long slab' turns out to be the waist and pelvic region of a person. The remnants of some kind of light colored cloth had given the impression that it was longer than it was. Indeed, there is no slop, just pure flatness. An optic illusion from the light hovering above the body.

The body's form goes on visibly from the waist. Tenchi, analyzing what he's seeing, notes that either a red or pink haori or shirt once covered the person. The ribs are very visible, above a very shrunken stomach region. Tenchi is unsure, because of the effect of the light orb hanging above the remains, if the skin has either just shrunk down tightly or rotted away at some point. At the shoulders, there are two faded either brass or gold pins that still hold part of the cloth.

Was this person buried in a shrine maiden's outfit?

There is also an oni mask over the remain's face with long, perhaps cyran colored hair? He's unsure because of time and the fading color. Nevertheless, the hair had to have gone out in all directions. The longest parts are hidden beneath the remains.

"Wh-what is it Tenchi?" Hinata asks nervously. "Is it the demon grandpa mentioned? The demon of legend?"

Tenchi is enraptured by the sight. He hears his sister, but he cannot reply immediately. He looks at all the evidence. It appears to be a girl? A young woman perhaps? Maybe about her late Teens or early 20s?

Is this really the demon of legend? The one that sleeps here? Forever sealed by the legendary sword? It couldn't be? It's not possible? Yet…

"It wasn't just a legend," Tenchi finally says and fails to note his weakening grip on the sword hilt until it hit falls from his hand and, in the silence of the chamber, hits something producing a sound not unlike silverware or a metal tea set hitting the ground after a meter drop.

"AAAHHHHHHH!" both siblings scream.

Needless to say, he and Hinata both jump back and take up almost comical looks.

Tenchi wide eyed, one leg held up and arm across, in front of him from his shoulders and the other thrown back behind him for balance as he stares at the source of the sound.

Hinata had fallen down and scooted back on her hands and feet until she stumbled and is now upside down with her feet in the air laying on her shoulders and bust, turned so she can face the source of the sound with her arms thrown out to keep her balance.

Somehow, she still holds the staff grip in her hands as well.

After a few moments of pure silence… The siblings realize nothing is happening and collect themselves with a cough each and Hinata smoothing out her shrine outfit.

"Let's not do that again Tenchi," Hinata states, making it a point to keep herself turned as she had gotten her hakama wet.

"Yeah," Tenchi replies, "Whoah. Time to go home," Tenchi begins walking forward to collect the sword hilt. "I guess all there is is this mummy, eh Hinata?"

"Yeah, I guess," Hinata responds to Tenchi's statement. "I feel really bad for disturbing her though. I guess we made quite the spectacle of ourselves and were more than a _little_ annoying."

Neither sibling note the small blue light again as it passes by Tenchi as he bends over to pick up the hilt.

"Yeah, but I guess we better get home," Tenchi is saying as he begins to grasp the sword, "Once we're out of here, I'll-"

Whatever Tenchi was going to finish saying, would forever be lost as at that moment, a bony mummified hand had reached up and grabbed his outstretched arm by the wrist as he was grasping the sword hilt.

"What?! HUH!?" Tenchi immediately felt his eyes go wide as he saw that extending from the pool of water is the mummified hand and forearm of the body the siblings had discovered.

But that wasn't it.

As Tenchi watches in silent fascination, the head of the body begins to slowly emerge from the water. Even as he hears Hinata screaming for him as she realizes that something has happened, he sees the head slowly emerge until the mouth of the mask is clear of the water. All around, small orbs of blue lights begin to appear and glow.

Now he panics.

"AHHH! HEY! EHH! ERHHHH!"

Tenchi pulls and wildly flails his seized limb, even as Hinata arrives at his side, grabbing his arm and begins to add her strength to pulling him free.

"AHHH! EEEH! ERRR! HAHHH!" both siblings grunt and cry out with exertion, but soon a hard tug pulls both forward and dropping them onto the stone slabs once more. The hand that had gripped Tenchi's arm releases it and the other arm shoots out to grab him by his samue and began to hold him there.

"Let me go!" Tenchi yells as he uses his free hand to grip a slab and try to and pull himself back.

"Let my brother go!" Hinata manages to find a perch for her feet and with legs braced, tries to pull her brother free.

The mummified body merely rises further up, onto the lip of the pool and raises its own free hand, outstretched before its face. It then, surprisingly, gently places it on Tenchi's face, feeling it not unlike how Hinata used to feel his face before she regained her sight. The mummy makes a groaning sound, sounding very much like Tenchi in a way. And despite the siblings best effort, Tenchi is pulled closer as the mummy rises further, Tenchi seeing the previously hidden ears and noting they have an unusual long rise to them. Like an elf's ears, only not pointed off like an elf.

The moans, almost pitiful, Tenchi can hear his name. He can hear it repeat Tenchi. A slight turn of its head and then, Hinata.

Then _she_ says something he was not expecting and neither was Hinata.

"Lelooouuchh. Nunnnaalllyyy."

Both siblings are simply stunned dumb. Those names. _Those names._ **Those names!**

It couldn't be possible. Those were the names of their past lives. A pair of lives buried long ago. Buried by war and the fallout of it. Dead and buried. Names that meant nothing to them anymore. Names they feel shame only to have once known.

Yet…

How did this demon knows those names?

It has been nearly a decade!

The siblings Lelouch and Nunnally were dead. Killed by their own country. Murdered by disease and a lost will to live. Brought to them and upon them by the Holy Empire of Britannia.

Yet…

This demon woman knows their past. And yet… She also says those names with a strange kindness to them.

It's all so confusing.

Neither resist as the demon moves closer to Tenchi. Move so that the boy's mouth could be accessible from behind the mask. Through the open mouth area. Only shadow exists where eyes and lips should be.

It's all so confusing.

 _In the recent past. A young boy is carrying his sister on his back. Her eyes shut as she coughs. Her little legs too little and shrunken for her age. The boy and girl have redden cheeks as fever holds both._

It's all so confusing.

 _Down a road filled with other refugees. Only their scavenged cover from torn clothes to keep them somewhat dry in the rain. Abandoned and destroyed vehicles line the road. It is pockmarked from battle. Their cover barely hides them from the fate that a couple of Britannian families received as their still living, writhing forms hang from a nearby tree._

It's all so confusing.

 _Someone pulled at them, wanting their meager supplies. Their appearance unmasked, they are grabbed by a Nipponese man who holds them up and screams at them. Smashing the siblings forcibly together, both cry out in pain._

 _Can't he see they are just as bad if not worse off?_

It's all so confusing.

 _The gunfire as Britannian forces overrun the column. It's a surprise ambush. Fire is expertly zeroed in. People die in droves. The man, brave a moment before tries to flee. He's shot in both legs, dropping him. Then the Britannians proceed to shoot him for fun. That's all the ambush is._

 _For fun._

It's all so confusing.

 _A man with a raised auburn and burgundy platform hairstyle indicates where to keep shooting and telling his men how to do so in a fashion that prolongs the hunt and savors the kill. He laughs all the while with his men as they kills anyone and everyone. A few women and girls are grabbed for other uses. But the fire streaming from their weapons does not let up. They don't even go to the assistance of the Britannians hanging to death._

It's all so confusing.

 _But then explosions among the Britannians. The ropes holding up the families are severed as several men and women catch the falling people. Rockets appear and Knightmares explode or topple over. Vehicles, even tanks, burst into flames as explosives that adhere themselves suddenly explode as the forms of commandos can just be barely made out. The leader cowardly grabs one of his own men and uses him as a human shield. Then, once that is done, flees._

It's all so confusing.

 _The saviors appear. Wearing modern body armor, yet the aesthetic design is that of an older era harkened to that day. What they learn is the Masaki Clan heraldry adorns armor and flags. The leader walks up and with a single cut, fells three Britannian soldiers that tried to ambush him. The three fall back, each cut fatal outright, yet the man did not spin nor turn to their eyes._

It's all so confusing.

" _Hmm? What's this?" he says as he leans down to them. "Why you two_ are _still alive? I'm impressed? Hmm..? But_ not _for long without medical help."_

It's all so confusing.

" _I see," the man says, how long has it been? "So they_ are _her children?_ No! _I will_ not _abandon_ my _**kin**_ _. I will_ not _abandon my_ **grandchildren** _. What else? I_ will _raise them of course! The boy_ will _be my inheritor. Yes. I believe he has it. Do not ask me. I just do. Good. Names? Of course I_ **will** _be changing their names! Why would I leave them with names a fool who abandoned them gave them? I will think of something. Yes… Wait? Was not the boy called Tenchi before? I see… Ten-chi. Heaven and Earth. Yes. A good name. For the girl? She tries hard to be a sunny pl-ace… Hinata. Yes. They are Masaki Tenchi and Masaki Hinata as of this moment. I will raise them myself along with my wife. They are our grandchildren and all we have of her. No. Yes. Thank you very much. I know, thank you."_

It's all so confusing.

" _Tenchi, your grandfather and I have a surprise for you!"_

It's all so confusing.

" _What is it grandma?"_

It's all so confusing.

" _HINATA?! You're walking!"_

It's all so confusing.

" _Try and catch me big brother! Hehehe!"_

It's all so confusing.

" _I can see now Tenchi! I can see now!"_

It's all so confusing.

" _Remember your names. They will serve you well."_

In that moment, the sword hilt glowed a bluish white before releasing a burst of blue energy that threw the demon woman back, forcing her to release Tenchi.

Tenchi and Hinata are thrown back by the sudden light and the demon woman's own throw of them. Both stumble back and land differently. Tenchi on his back, Hinata on her side. Both groan a bit and sit up to see the demon woman.

They kind of wish they hadn't. For there she is, standing half out of the water. Her head thrown back, her exposed torso showing off the bones and shrunken skin. If the thin as twigs arms weren't bad enough, tree roots could be see attached to the demon woman.

"Funaho must be part of the seal itself!" Hinata realizes, seeing the roots.

Suddenly, two darkly yellow pinpricks of light appear. Their position… The demon woman's eyes. And from this angle… She looks pissed. Very, very pissed. In fact… The last they saw a look like that…

Was when someone had threatened their lives long, long ago in their past lives.

"Run Hinata!" scrambling up, Tenchi graps Hinata by the arm and pulls her to her feet.

Both siblings take off running. Climbing up the incline they had fallen down before. Rushing to get up.

So fast in their hurry to escape, Hinata catches her clothes on something. The audible tear of cloth as her haori is torn open and she catches her hakama on something.

"Tenchi!" she screams unable to climb.

"Hinata!" Tenchi slides back down far enough and simply braces his feet as he uses both hands to tear the waist of the hakama. There isn't time to work it free of whatever it has.

Scrambling up bare legged, Hinata escapes even as it feels like something has grabbed Tenchi by the back of his samue. Tenchi simply sacrifices his top and the shirt underneath it as he escapes up, losing a the back of a pant leg to what feels like a desperate grab.

He scrambles up and narrowly misses a large rock sent bouncing down from atop.

Tenchi then sees Hinata forcing another large rock over the edge and he dodges it more expertly this time. Before long, he's up at the top and both scramble inside the previous chamber. Both try to force the stone doors to close and seal the hidden chamber once more.

But they won't budge.

Then Tenchi spots the two halves of the rock he cut earlier.

"Get me something to tie the halves!" he shouts to Hinata who realizes what he's doing and rushes off to get some of the sacred ropes that had fallen free.

Using loose roots and the ropes, Tenchi and Hinata hurriedly tie the two halves of the sealing stone back together. The light behind them is glowing brighter and brighter. But with a firm, final tug, the two stone doors suddenly slam shut like a bulkhead emergency gate. The light is cut off. The doors make a sound like locks being secured.

The passage is sealed once more.

"I'm giving those keys back to grandpa and doing as many chores as he says," Tenchi then collapses against the rock walls.

Hinata collapses next to him. Both ignoring their appearance as they regain their breath and steady their beating hearts.

Neither notice the light of the three jewels grow dim and then they appear as regular jewels again.

"Tenchi?" Hinata begins after a few moments.

"Yeah Hinata?" Tenchi has his eyes close, but he can feel the back of one of Hinata's legs against his hand.

Did the universe have it out for them?

"I tore my haori wide open," and Tenchi's eyes shoot open and he looks at his sister without a second thought.

Fortunately, the girl is currently succeeding at her best to cover her front back up, but it is clear that the haori was torn from just below the collarbone and near her right breast almost all the way down. Only her bottom tie and her damaged obi kept the whole thing from being ripped right open. Not that it mattered. A huge chunk is missing on the right side below her belt line. A massive section of the front had been completely torn away, along with her bra, if he had to guess. If she had one.

"And I lost my… My… MY PANTIES!" the girl's face is flush with red as blood fills her face at her admission.

With a tired sigh, "At least we can sneak back, right?" Tenchi simply replies as he adjusts to better relax for the moment, closing his eyes..

Not like he hasn't seen his sister naked before. But that was a long time ago when it was perfectly fine. Now they are both much older and it is not perfectly fine.

"What will grandpa say when he finds out?" Hinata inquires worriedly.

"Hinata," Tenchi begins with a touch of annoyance in his tone, "You do the laundry, remember?"

"Oh!" the girl realizes, "Right. Grandpa isn't very good at it, is he?"

Both have a chuckle at their grandparent's expense. True, it will be interesting sneaking back. Fortunately, Tenchi had also prepared just in case. A set of clean and intact clothes await them at a hidden spot nearby. He'll need the change himself as much as Hinata.

It wasn't just a pant leg he lost and tops. He can feel his bottom on the dirt and pebbles beneath him. He's got a long tear in the seat of his pants and shorts.

But, for the moment, he pulls Hinata in close. Blushing as she loses her grip and on her top, she finds herself, skin to skin with her brother's well toned chest. Yet… All he does is hold her. Basking in her presence.

The memories that resurfaced…

At least they are alive to remember them for this moment.

"Tenchi?" Hinata suddenly starts once more, what seems like a lifetime later.

"Yeah Hinata?" Tenchi nuzzles his nose into her hair.

How different it smells now compared to years ago. At the same time, she takes a deep breath of his scent. He now smells far different himself. The scent of labor that he once couldn't do upon his body. Just as he notices her scent of own activities about her as he recalls how she should not have been able to do them.

"Are we going steady after today?" she giggles.

"Only if you want to be known as auntie momma," Tenchi chuckles good naturally.

Yeah right. Who are they? Britannian Imperial Royal Children?

No.

They are a simple brother and sister living a peaceful life as the grandchildren and heirs of a somewhat perverted shrine priest.

The two soon depart and spend an otherwise peaceful day freshly dressed and doing everything they are instructed to do.

The only signs of their adventures, are the two new items they now have.

 **XXXX**

Late at night, wind blows through the leaves of the sacred tree Funaho.

An ancient tree, surrounded by a pond of water. Its roots can be seen rising from the water as they entered the earth below long ago. Stone rocks had been carved and placed long ago to give access directly to the tree. A thick ceremonial rope with cloth and paper talismans hang from its midpoint.

The great canopy it has is ruffled by the wind passing by.

All is still and peaceful. Quiet without danger as the world sleeps the night away.

Then suddenly, channels of light begin coursing through the leaves. Some reaching a point and in their zenith, burst into beams of multicolored light that streak into the water below. In seconds, the light is refracted back into the air, going straight up towards the great star ocean above.

Awakened by the sudden light, Masaki Katsuhito steps out of his office and looks to the sacred tree with a frown.

"So Tenchi and Hinata did venture in, now didn't they," he had been worried when he had discovered the keys missing. He had eventually found them on the grounds, opposite of where Tenchi was, but not far from Hinata.

Strangely, she looked to be dressed in a fresh outfit and looked as though she had taken a quick bath.

He noted Tenchi looked the same as well. Plus neither was getting into mischief. Something had happened, but by that time, they had had visitors and so Katsuhito hadn't had time to investigate.

"Doesn't look like I will need to, hm? Funaho?"

And as he says that, Katsuhito watches the beams of light coalesce into a single beam of light that shoots with an audible sound into the heavens above.

Then a burst appears very high up. Signaling something he had been concerned with. Fortunately, there are no patrols this far out. Though he has little doubt someone will be paying the area a visit.

"If that fop of a Viceroy and his bungling leaders can get their act together," Katsuhito then thinks about for a second, "Hmm… Maybe not. Oh well, too bad for them and time to go back to bed for me. Not like she'll be coming this way anytime soon."

 **XXXX**

One thing Tenchi could say about his uncle's work, it not only paid the bills, but made the rather competent local lord governor a lot more friendlier to the natives.

That and the man in question believes in being a good leader above all else. One of the reasons he was posted to their area as the local new lord. Because he is too competent to assassinate, too valuable to consider expendable, and reformist to get with the Empire's official line.

Thus, in this small part of the former Nippon-koku, the citizens of Nihon went about their daily lives as though the government was still Nipponese in Tokyo rather than a Britannian Viceroy in a puppet government in the Tokyo Settlement and the true capital in the area once known as Texas.

Hinata onced wondered what the good King Arthur Pendragon would think if he knew his name was attached to such a corrupt and vile empire that used it for the name of its capital.

A good question.

One that was wisely not said where the wrong ears would hear it.

So Tenchi is in class, wearing a normal school uniform, whose design predates the invasion. In his hand is the sword hilt he recovered and still kept, wondering how he'll reforge the broken blade and put it back in its place. As such, he has been leaning on one arm propped up on his desk thinking. He then hears someone stop behind him causing him to turn his head up to see who.

"Hey Tenchi," it is Tenchi's friend Amagasaki Katuhiko. A big fella with large rounded shoulders and a big rounded belly. His nose is also quite large and somewhat colored differently from the rest of his skin color and he also has big, prominent lips that have given him the nickname of Big Lips Katu. He also wears rectangular glasses on his face that pretty much screams 'nerd.'

"What'cha got there?" Katuhiko notices what Tenchi has in his hand. He leans forward to see it better. Tenchi, unsure of things, simply moves to put into his bag as he responds.

"Oh? Ahh… Nothing. Just an old piece of junk," Tenchi puts it into his bag and leans back to speak with his obviously disappointed friend.

"Ohhh…" but then Katuhiko brightens up, "So, ha, how was your summer vacation?"

"Oh don't ask me," Tenchi leans onto his desk with a look that truly said 'It was boring' on his face, "Just me, Hinata, and grandpa at work all day long as usual," same story, different year, "It's supposed to be all the training I guess."

"Oh man, what a big drag," Katuhiko leans on the desk behind Tenchi, "Didn't you get to meet any girls even?"

"Only the usual," Tenchi admits, "Migrants praying for safe passage and the occasional Britannian girl who thinks she's all that and does more to destroy her looks with looking like a dress up doll than actually doing anything really good to compliment her looks."

"Hmm, that is a problem," Katuhiko admits as he stands up, talk of Britannians always did that. Though there were a few in class, they really didn't seem like Britannians. A couple were even half-Nipponese and one girl was actually from South America and hand a Portuguese accent. "So no other girls just to see the sights and meet handsome and strong Shrine boys?"

A snort came from Tenchi immediately, "Aside from the Lord Governor's daughter and a couple of girls from Ashford Academy, the only girls looking for strong, handsome Shrine boys at a shabby shrine deep in the mountains all are 82 years old _and_ spoken for."

Laughing a bit, "So you dated married _mummies_ all summer long?"

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up Katuhiko," Tenchi kept his cool, even though he knew there had been a real mummy up at his family's shrine. One that had come back to life.

The mere thought of that mummy and how it knew, still troubled Tenchi. He could see himself back in that antechamber with it laid out and then it was reaching for him. The touch of his skin, now that he thought about it had been usually soft and gentle. The groan that was his name. Then the other that was that past life's name. That really scared him more than the mummy ever would.

"Hey Tenchi!" suddenly, he is back in class. Katuhiko looking worried and having shaken him back to the here and now, "What's wrong Tenchi?"

With a sigh, he could trust Katuhiko, "Just having memories of ten years ago dredged up one day up there. I'm still troubled by it."

With a solemn look a pat on his friend's shoulder, "I know man, I know," Katuhiko also could remember when the Britannians came.

Then an idea hit his friend, "Hey, why not go up and take a few minutes up on the roof. I'll let the teacher know something rattled you pretty badly. Rare as it is. Don't need you losing your temper like you did a few months back," rubbing his head, "Getting punched by you into the lockers really hurt you know?"

Tenchi rubs the back of his head in embarrassment, "Sorry about that man. Really. I don't know what got into me that day, but I'll take your advice. Some fresh air ought to do me well."

And with that, Tenchi rose up and heads for the door and the stairs to the roof, "Just be sure not to fall asleep again!" Katuhiko calls out, "I'm not covering you from Hinata again!"

A shudder went through the whole class.

If Tenchi had an explosive attitude when finally angered enough, then Hinata was a war goddess when finally angered.

"I'll try," Tenchi winces. He knows better than anyone to _not_ anger his sister.

 **XXXX**

Laying on his back and letting the cool wind play over as the warm Sun and concrete keeps him from a biting chill, Tenchi is contemplating everything thus far. Hands folded behind his head, knees raised and his left leg crossing over his right, Tenchi lets out a sigh.

"I need to get a grip," watching the clouds pass by calmly, eternally, "Grandpa never mentioned anything. Even when he found the keys on the ground. So… Maybe nothing happened after all, ha ha. Alhuhhh… Just relax Tenchi."

As Tenchi says that, his eyes begin to drift closed and the last thing he hears is a game of baseball going on in the background.

 **XXXX**

"Hm? Mmhaha. Ten-chi. Oh Ten-chi."

 **XXXX**

But sleep doesn't come easy. Fitful nightmare. That mummified demon girl and her yellow glowing eyes. Yet it is that groaning sound that turns to the one man he hates most. Then a torrent of gunfire and a scream that echoes as loudly now as it had then.

 **XXXX**

Tenchi awakens slowly. Is that a cat bell he hears? Then the chilly night air blows through.

Confused, Tenchi takes a few moments to look left and right. It doesn't take long for his mind to come back to life. The fading light of dusk, far in the distance, and the close up city lights. The inky darkness high above. The school so quiet as to be abandoned.

"Oh great, I fell asleep!" Tenchi complains as he realizes what happened, "I missed all of my classes and everyone is gone and on top of all of that, Hinata is going to kill me."

Tenchi gets up and begins to walk to collect his things and head home. As he takes the first couple of steps, he hears a cat bell behind him. Stopping and taking a look back, it's a little black cat and it starts to meow.

"Kitty? How the heck did you get up here?"

The response is another loud meow before it starts darting to him.

Tenchi smiles as he steps forward and kneels down. A little kitten all the way up here? How did that happen? Well, the right thing to do would be for him to take… it…

As Tenchi watches, just as the kitty reaches him, his hands held out to scoop the little furball up, it disappears right before his eyes.

"Was I seeing things?" Tenchi wonders, nervously.

Then there's the cat bell again, behind him once more, but if he had to guess, on the water tower behind him.

So turning slowly, carefully, ready to dodge or move at a moment's notice, Tenchi looks up and sees a young woman on the water tower. She appears to be the source of the cat bell as he hears it from her again. She's also laughing softly. Something is found enjoyable and funny by her. But what?

Carefully observing her for the moment, Tenchi notes she's wearing a style of dress he's never seen before. It has some design aesthetics of Japan, but appears to have a bit of a Western cross to it. The woman has either black or brown ankle or shin high boots on. Her rather nice looking, shapely legs are exposed and crossed over, hiding her modesty from the world. Her dress appears somewhat like a kimono and is a light green color, maybe cyan? The same with her long spiky hair. A black obi closes her dress and she has a…

"The mummy from before," Tenchi states as he carefully turns and looks up at her, "So _that's_ what you look like."

The woman plays with her bell, laughing some more. Soon she closes her hand around and brings it back to her cheek, holding it there with her eyes closed and a peaceful expression upon her face. Opening her hand to lay the bell against her cheek, he notes a ring around her middle finger attached to cloth that goes into her sleeve. The night too dark to tell the color. She brings her other hand around and it's the same style as the right. She goes quiet and only the wind can now be heard.

Suddenly, she throws the bell and Tenchi easily catches it.

"Ryoko."

Tenchi looks up at her. She still has her head held up, eyes closed.

"That's my name," she says as she lowers her head to 'look' at Tenchi before her eyes open, revealing the same yellow glowing eyes from before.

"Ryoko then," Tenchi feels his danger senses kick in. Suddenly, small orange orbs appear around 'Ryoko.' They spin around her before spreading out and floating over their small area of the roof. Tenchi eyes them nervously, "So that freeze dried demon," one of the orbs suddenly pops and Tenchi covers his head and shies away from the point, " _is_ a woman of her late teens to early twenties and I have to admit, a nice looking one who is likely here for a reason I fear I'm not going to like," Tenchi gulps nervously, ' _Keep it together. Keep it together. Remember what happened before. Remember what happened to Suzaku.'_

Suddenly, Ryoko holds herself, shivering before she began speaking, "It was cold in there and and dark in there."

Tenchi is nervous enough not to answer, lest he say the wrong thing. If Hinata, a Miko in training is any indication, he does _NOT want_ to piss this woman off.

"You know how long I was trapped in that cave?" Tenchi knows that when a woman says something like that, especially with her eyes closed, you _do not_ answer that rhetorical question. "It was several hundred years. I didn't like it. I didn't like it all."

Then her eyes open up, zeroing in on Tenchi. There is anger there. Powerful anger.

"All I want is revenge!"

Tenchi goes to his defense. Like he has a chance in a dirty fight with a demon. Yeah right.

"Heyyy! It's not my fault!" he angrily glares back up at her.

"No?" Ryoko responds and Tenchi misses the warning there for some reason.

"No! No way! It was my ancestor," Tenchi protests his innocence without thinking, "Some guy named _Yosho!"_

"I don't care," is Ryoko's immediately response and Tenchi is immediately on guard as the woman lifts her hand and suddenly, all the orbs begin to return to her in streams. Once all gathered, Ryoko closes her hand into a fist and the light forms into a three part cylindrical blade of pure orange light that had a length of a meter or more for the top part hovering just over a small orb near the woman's hand and at least half a foot for the bottom and Tenchi realizes his folly and blames either his uncle or his grandpa for that. "I just need to let out all my anger on you, right now!"

With that declared, Ryoko hovers into the air, bringing her sword into a two handed position for a powerful downward overhead slash.

Tenchi dodges and the explosion on the roof is startling as the concrete buckles and rips apart. The woman's speed and angle didn't seem to have that power behind it. Well… There is a nice new hole in the roof. The Lord Governor, a man who likes peace and quiet, is going to be pissed.

Of course, right now, Tenchi spots an orange bolt of light that he barely side steps as he starts running. The sound of it passing through the air sounds not unlike a hypersonic artillery shell. The explosion close to a 40mm grenade launcher.

"Why me? It's not fair!" Tenchi shouts as he tries to think of a plan to get away from the demon woman, even as she shoots more orange energy bolts from her hands. Explosions barely a step behind him. Somehow, he gets the feeling she's also pissed about what happened in the cave and what's to toy with him a little.

She laughs maniacally before stopping her shooting spree and hovering a good foot in the air and going after Tenchi. Soon, Ryoko is next to the running boy, blade in hand.

"What's the matter Ten-chi?" she asks before taking a diagonal swing at him.

Tenchi ducks, but one of the roof ventilators is hit and easily cut in two.

But even as the cut section slides down, he's on his feet and running. He needs to catch her in a way she'll not be expecting. That means, he needs to keep her having fun with him until he can get his attack in.

Suddenly she's right next to him again, "You'll going to have to run a heck of alot faster than that, _Earth_ -ling."

' _Earthling!?'_ Tenchi thinks as he quickens his pace and she lets him get away to the rubble where he starts digging around for something. ' _She called me_ Earthling _. Why would a demon call me_ that _?'_

Finding what he wants, he pulls it out. It's a piece of rebar steel, severed to about a meter and half in length with a chunk of concrete on one end. It could be used as a makeshift hammer.

' _Only_ aliens _from_ space _should be calling me that… Right?'_

"Okay, now I'm ready," in reality he isn't. He holds his makeshift weapon like a sword. Not like he knows what a hammer is supposed to be held as. He sees Ryoko make a come gesture. He still toying with him good. He now has his attack plan, now only if he can achieve, "Ready or not, here I come!"

With a battlecry, Tenchi charges across the roof and swings. Just as he knew from the start, Ryoko effortly catches it with one hand. She then, quite playfully, throws him backwards back towards the rubble pile.

He promptly lands on his back, but gets back up quickly and with a couple of wild swings, charges.

Ryoko begins to lazily lift into the air, when Tenchi releases his weapon on a swing and she's forced to cut it. The effort is almost mocking, as she cuts it into fours as it lands behind her. But she's holding still and Tenchi makes his real attack.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Ryoko shouts, taking off, as Tenchi grabs and with all of his might pulls her obi right off down.

Tenchi successfully removes even as he falls a good three meters or so. He manages to land well and cheers his victory as Ryoko tries to keep her dress closed. But the wind picks up as well and Tenchi discovers he took something else as well. Especially given the view he's getting as Ryoko panics and closes her legs and holds onto her skirt.

"This is _not_ going to end well for me," as he realizes he's also holding Ryoko's surprisingly pink, with even a bowtie, panties. ' _Did they even have panties several hundred years ago? Well… if I'm right, then they still do.'_

"You… You…" Ryoko is feeling humiliated in her great comeback. Well… Maybe she's getting ahead of herself, but for the moment, she doesn't care as she glares down at the boy beneath her, "YOU PERVERT!"

"I knew it," Tenchi states as he starts running again, as more orange bolts come flying down from the air.

Tenchi manages to race across the roof and into the stairwell access hut. Just as he enters, a number of bolts hit and explode the concrete segment like a bunker being destroyed by heavy artillery.

The explosions are enough to toss Tenchi over the railing. Fortunately, he he falls only two landings and lands on some stairs. Then he starts rolling down the stairs and landings.

Meanwhile, Ryoko finishes pulling her panties back up and is tying her obi back on.

"Hey!" she calls jovially once more at her small victory, "Try not to hurt yourself!" her voice takes on a strong, promising deep edge to it, "I'll like to do that for you."

Then leaping over the edge, she hovers and phases through the structure like a ghost on the hunt.

 **XXXX**

Tenchi hits the wall. Having tumbled out of the stairwell and into one of the hallways. He immediately begins to sit up and shake it off when he spots Ryoko's appearing and disappearing shadow on the landing wall's above him.

Getting up and starting to run, Tenchi spots an open door and immediately enters and quietly closes the sliding door. He immediately holds his breath and moves to hide behind something large and away from the door. If he stays put, as previous experience has taught him, he could get stabbed or shot through the doorway.

As he listens, he can hear Ryoko's footsteps. They are calm and deliberate. She's searching for him. As he listens from his hiding place, he hears her steps fade off into the distance. No doubt she's concentrating hard on finding him. Her own senses razor sharp for one mistake he could make.

As Tenchi begins to formulate a new plan, the last one had worked to some degree. When had held her, grabbing at her obi like he had, she had tried to throw him off. Yet her strength in that moment had been no more than a normal woman. So if he could surprise her again and this time get a good hold on her, there is a good chance he could subdue Ryoko until he can figure out what to do with her.

' _After all, there's got to be some kind of law against her being… here?'_ Tenchi's thoughts are interrupted by a familiar smell. ' _Gas fumes?!'_

Tenchi carefully moves about in the room, keeping low and there, before his eyes, is the hole in the roof right down into this classroom and it's one of the chemisty rooms. Which means he's in a literal ticking time bomb. For there, in the rubble on the floor, is a busted station with gas being ejected into the room from severed pipes.

" _Great,"_ Tenchi hisses, "I first better plan to get out of here and into another room."

The dark haired boy begins to quietly try to walk out of the chemistry room before the fumes are somehow ignited. The last thing he wants to be, is blown up. Because then, Hinata is really going to kill him.

But then…

"Ten-chi," Ryoko's voice fills the room and Tenchi is startled by it.

Looking around quickly, Tenchi doesn't see her. But she had shown several abilities up on the roof as well. So where could she be? Will she first try to seek revenge? Yeah, she will. Question is, which one? On Yosho or himself for what they each did to her? Woman like what he was seeing from Ryoko could be like that.

"She's here, but where?" Tenchi begins moving for the door again, the hissing of the broken gas pipes a constant reminder.

"Ten-chi."

"Erhh!" Tenchi stops again, looking around and eyeing that busted pipe. With a deep gulp he takes another look around and there she is. Head, shoulder and hand sticking through the whiteboard at the front of the class. Already on edge, Tenchi panics and backs up into the far wall despite having been expecting that. The smile and generally false friendliness she has tells him, he is so dead.

Deciding that right now, being scared witless is acceptable, Tenchi attempts to bolt, only for a stool to suddenly cut him off as its legs are buried into the concrete.

Moving completely through the wall, Ryoko begins to form her weapon. Somehow, immediately, they aren't blown to pieces. Tenchi files that tidbit away for a moment when he knows he's not about to die.

"School's in session and it's about time to start today's lesson," Ryoko rhymes as she approaches her query.

"Stop that! There's leaking gas! You'll start a fire!" Tenchi panickedly tells Ryoko who stops and looks rather concern for a moment.

"Gas?" then she looks to Tenchi, completely confused, "What is gas?"

' _You have to be kidding me!'_ Tenchi thinks before he realizes that Hinata is going to kill him for dying! "All man! I'm going to be killed twice over! First by a gas explosion from a demon woman from space and then by my angry younger sister! If I knew this was going to happen, I wouldn't have done all of that extra homework over vacation and worked so hard and saved so hard either!"

Ryoko meanwhile is looking rather embarrassed as she can feel the sweat drops forming in her hair at the surprising actions of a boy she's about to kill. It really is embarrassing. Seriously. Can he stop all those weird stances and poses already? It is totally creeping her out.

Then, in a moment of clarity and, later admittedly, stupidity, Tenchi has an idea.

"I think I may just have an idea to get me out of this," he turns to the utterly befuddled Ryoko who had released her weapon and just blinks at the suddenly calm boy.

' _Hope this works,'_ Tenchi thinks mentally before suddenly spinning around and giving it his all, "Hey! What's that outside of the window!"

Then he realizes how stupid of an idea it is, "I just used the oldest trick in the book and it's not going to work," but then he turns to see, much to his surprise and relief, Ryoko is looking eagerly out the window, trying to find whatever Tenchi had spotted.

"Uoh? I want to see. What is it?" her voice surprisingly cute and adorable. As is her innocent looks to see what 'it' might be.

Tenchi, a bit embarrassed by how this has gone manages to slide out of the room real quiet like and carefully.

"Hm? Huh? I don't want to missing anything."

Scrambling away on all fours, Tenchi starts his escape once he's in the hallway.

"I can't believe she had fallen for that!" he gets up right and starts running like crazy, "I don't know who's stupider at the moment! Me or her!"

 **XXXX**

Back in the room, Ryoko finishes looking as best she could before turning to speak with Tenchi, "No I don't see any… thing… Gasp! Huh? What?!" as she finds herself alone and the seat of the stool suddenly breaks from three of its legs to hang on just one.

 **XXXX**

Back with Tenchi, he's really pumping as hard as he can to escape the inevitable explosion. Literally.

 **XXXX**

Looking furious and angry, Ryoko hunches over. Her face a mask of anger and fury. Energy crackles about her form and hands as she growls out, "I'll get him!"

Of course, she forgets that Tenchi mentioned something called 'Gas.' Through her charge build up, the hissing gas pipe has electrical energy discharges from her come close to it. Close enough for the inevitable explosion Tenchi has been expecting.

 **XXXX**

The chemistry room is immediately blown outwards. The outside windows and the outside concrete reinforced walls explode out. The inside windows and concrete walls are blown across the hallway and take out the exterior inside walls and windows. Every window for a hundred meters is blown out and walls buckled and collapse as a fireball from the leaking gas shoots down the length of the hallways.

Additionally, other gas pipes rupture and detonate, creating immediate secondary explosions that feed the original primary. The roof, with the hole already in it, had survived the initial explosion. The secondary explosion on the other hand blows the roof open. The floor buckles and collapses as well, dropping down to the next floor.

Emergency systems, damaged already by Ryoko, failure to immediately engage.

Soon, a full third of the building is afire from one end to the other.

Surviving systems somehow kick on, engaging themselves, and manage to temporary stem the flow of flames.

Tenchi, in the meantime, has been blasted down the hallway he was running and sent tumbling. He manages to come to a stop and shield his face and head as sprinklers engage before him. Once things calm down and the pressure waves have ended, Tenchi manages to shakily get back to his feet.

"Well… There she goes," bring his hands up, "She was kind of cute actually."

Then he claps his hands together a couple of times before realizing what he is doing.

Feeling a tad sensitive, "Old shrine habit," before he begins laughing, but that turns to terror when he sees Ryoko's outline in the smoke and flames heading his way.

With a panicked cry, Tenchi turns and starts running for the next stairwell as Ryoko emerges, more than _very_ pissed off and covered in soot and dust.

She coughs a couple of times before she starts yelling, "HEY! That's no way to treat a lady!"

"Now she sounds like she's from Osaka," Tenchi shakes his head from his hiding place. But at the same time, "I'm still in big trouble because she's alive again!"

With a battle cry, Ryoko starts racing down the hallway, flying with intent to find and beat Tenchi senseless before doing anything else. But as she does so, Tenchi discovers something of importance.

The emergency override for the bulkhead hatches.

"Talk about convenient, but will it be enough," Tenchi smashes the glass and hits the control.

Even with her battlecry going and the speed by which she is too, Ryoko can't react fast enough and…

-BOUMM!-

...She impacts the suddenly dropped bulkhead.

Tenchi chances a peek and then turns back. The bulkhead had slowed her down. But if he had to guess, once she's back on her feet and the cobwebs cleared, she's going to be more than a little angry with him for dropping that in her face.

Even if she went through it.

As Tenchi starts down the stairs, Ryoko manages to pull herself up with a groan. This boy is proving both lucky and resilient.

"When I get my ha-IR! Look at me! I'm a mess."

Tenchi stops briefly at hearing Ryoko's cry about her hair and then how she's a mess. Not taking anymore than a moment to process that, he moves on.

"That's right, there's a mirror there, isn't there?"

 **XXXX**

A couple of minutes later and a lot of silent running, leading to wonder when he joined His Imperial Majesty's Navy?, Tenchi successfully reaches his classroom where he left all of his belongings.

Gently sliding the door open and entering, the young teenage boy heads for his desk. A moment later, he's collapsed in his seat and breathing hard. Placing his left arm on the desk, he drops his head onto it and begins to calm down and regain his breath. At the same time, he is trying to conclude how to get through Ryoko's defenses and defeat her, because she's as tenacious as the Witch of the Empire.

And he can never forget just how tenacious she could be.

Both her and her angelic younger sister.

"Okay, okay…" he breathes, "Checklist, starting with she has incredible superpowers and I don't. But that doesn't mean she's unbeatable if what happened on the roof is any indication and again in that chemistry room along with the emergency bulkhead door. So far, so good. So... soo…" moving his arm forward and resting his chin on his desk, Tenchi is at a quandary, "What do I do?"

He was only able to take advantage of what he can guess was her being playful and honestly confused. While she said she wanted to let out her…

"She knows that name," Tenchi recalls. "How does she know it? And for that matter…"

Tenchi feels a realization coming to him. It could be that Ryoko actually doesn't want to hurt him. She may be mad about…

Tenchi bites down on his tongue, feeling the copper taste of blood in his mouth to keep from shouting out. Reaching into his bag, he pulls out the sword hilt. There is little doubt that this could be part of the problem. What had happened back in the cavern, why he and Hinata had felt a level of comfort there…

"So Ryoko used to watch over us somehow?" Tenchi concludes, realization dawning on him, "So she's more mad at you and Yosho than me. That explains a whole lot," tightening his grip on the sword, "You're not native to Earth either I bet. So that means that a blade that can cut through rock could easily be a blade of light."

Similar to that movie series about an evil space empire being overthrown by a group of brave rebels who use a weapon called a Lightblade to fight the evil empire's own dark warriors that some exiled Britannian movie director made in Australia.

"So you're a lightblade that is real, huh?" now that he's examining it, the hilt has no place to put a blade into it. Just two prongs and Tenchi is willing to wager on his luck, that the prongs are some kind of emitter. "If everyone in space is like Ryoko or close to it, little wonder why they would have been seen as divine beings or devils."

Now armed with that knowledge, it is a question of will the Sword of Yosho obey a new master? One that even though he's of his bloodline, is not Yosho himself? That is a question. Yet it is a question that needs to be answered.

Unfortunately, Tenchi knows better than to try it. Ryoko has him outclassed every which way. Without extensive training, he'll never come near her. His only hope is to surprise her yet again.

Collecting his belongings, Tenchi begins to think of a plan.

 **XXXX**

Meanwhile, Ryoko had finished cleaning herself up.

"You are one beautiful demon," she leaps back from the mirror, clapping her hands together to get rid of any excess dust, and then strikes a pose, winking at her own reflection for her own amusement and confirmation. Can't be all filthy during her big comeback? Especially not to some kind. Then she shifts her stance, looking off to her right as though remembering something, but only says, "Let's go."

Ryoko then floats up and back, before phasing from sight and reappearing, hovering outside the building. She floats further back, then swings herself around to face a section of the school currently not on fire. There, hovering more than 10 meters in the air, she waits. Sooner or later, Tenchi would give himself away.

She knows that he's good at sneaking around, but has a tendency to let things get to him when he gets excited.

For a moment, she wonders how that would go in bed as she rubs her thighs together just thinking about finally having some sex after several hundred years.

What can she say? She's been alone, in a dark cavern, for centuries with no one and nothing to do or to deal with that damn itch that reappeared when she finally got her body restored again.

Seriously.

Couldn't that bastard have waited to let her have a little fun before sending her on the ill-fated mission?

 **XXXX**

Tenchi carefully grabs his bag. He has everything packed. Though he honestly doubts that he'll be needing it. Given that half the school is ablaze or damaged from smoke. Still… Better to be safe than sorry.

Just then, the fire alarm goes off and he jumps and crashes into several things, knocking desks and chairs over and discovering that one of the girls in their class has been hiding a picture of herself in her underwear with 'To Tenchi' and little 'x' and 'o' symbols on it.

Carefully, he puts Momeji's picture back, but suddenly sees a shadow and moves to hide and is forced to hold onto the picture.

If Hinata finds it, she might get the wrong idea and he knows how shy and nervous Momeji can get.

' _Why me?'_ he wonders, silently cursing when he finds his pony tail caught between a joint on a desk. A gentle pull and some working of the metal and he's free.

' _So Ryoko is hovering outside waiting and I have the damn fire alarm trying to scare me to death before she actually considers it,'_ Tenchi sighs as he turns a glare on the nearest alarm. ' _Of course, it_ has _to ring when_ half _the school has to be on fire.'_

"Well it has to be one of those kinds of days," Tenchi turns, his eyes a bit watery from smoke drifting through the halls, before something clicks in his mind and he turns back to the alarm.

The ringing bell is set above a manual panel. In addition to the panel, is a small light. That light is currently red and providing illumination to the local of the panel. But it isn't that reason he's looking at it.

"Wait a minute…" Tenchi recalls Ryoko shifting her palm up, exposing a jewel on her wrist before her hand started to glow, it had been glowing. "That has to be the source of her powers. Now that I think about it, the legend says 'Three Gems for Power.' So without her power, she might be more closer to me in, huh?"

Tenchi had brought up Yosho's sword and tapped the pommel against his chin. Doing so, though, allowed him to make a rather unfortunate discovery. Three gems were embedded in the pommel. Three gems with the same coloration as Ryokos. On top of that, the earrings she is wearing has similar gms hanging from them, of the same color too.

"So Ryoko has more than one?" Tenchi sighs when he catches sight of something else. "That's!"

Reaching down and picking it up, it is clear that Hinata had been looking for him. Like him with Yosho's sword, Hinata had not parted herself from Kasumi's staff grip. Yet holding both next to one another, Tenchi can see that both are the same make, but have considerable differences.

"I bet Kasumi's staff is collapsible and if it is much the same as Yosho's sword, it should be able to take Ryoko's gem into it and hold it there," Tenchi concludes with a smile, "I might not be able to use it directly, but I bet I can imprison the gem inside of it at the right time. Now I have a plan of action. I can beat her! It's easy!"

As soon as Tenchi shouts that, he realizes his mistake, "Crap!" he lunges for the window, smashing the Fire System Override in the Classroom and turning on all of the school's fire systems.

Just because he's in a battle, doesn't mean he wants the school to burn down.

No matter how much of a dream that is for half the school!

 **XXXX**

When Ryoko heard Tenchi's voice shout that he can beat her and that it is easy, she smirks.

"Easy," she repeats and sends her most powerful attack of the night, so strong, it creates three ripple rings at its point of origin as it travels so fast through Earth's air, that it actually silence itself.

 **XXXX**

Tenchi manages to get out of a window seconds before the classroom behind him explodes. He starts running, cursing himself for being such an idiot. Now he needs to relocate and lay low long enough to lay a trap with surprise as his ally because of his outburst.

Unfortunately, he should be looking forward. He will admit that in hindsight. Though he won't deny that when saw Ryoko's breasts jiggle from his impact with the woman, he enjoyed it.

"So they're brown ankle high boots and the skirt does go down to the ankle length at its pointed ends," Tenchi summarizes as he begins working on a plan, "And the vest is a light shade of pink, that no doubt is going to have red dye here shortly."

Giggling, Ryoko's response is full of confidence, "Don't be so scared sweetiepie," Ryoko brings up her hand and begins to gather energy, "I won't hurt you TOO MUCH!" she forms her sword and slashes towards Tenchi, only for Tenchi to instinctively drop his bag and bring up Yosho's sword.

' _This is it Tenchi!'_ the screaming boy thinks before it happens.

A dazzling blue light fills the air and force Ryoko away from the source.

Ryoko reappears a few meters away before the light bursts into a stream of energy that rises up into the heavens before the Sword of Yosho begins to rest, hovering in the air before Tenchi.

' _Trust in your name. Remember what it means.'_

Tenchi could swear he hears his grandfather's voice. But he also realizes that the Sword of Yosho is named Tenchi. The Sword of Heaven and Earth, the Tenchi-ken.

"Thank you grandfather," Tenchi reaches out to take hold of the sword as Ryoko has recovered.

"Impressive," she forms a series of energy orbs, "Catch!" then blasts out a torrent of beams and bolts at Tenchi.

But the field provided by the Tenchi-ken deflects all of the shots that tear up the earth and fence behind them. A few even reach the burning building, tearing through concrete and flames, parting smoke and revealing the level of damage for the briefest of moments.

Then Tenchi has hold of the sword and a blade of blue light appears, just as Ryoko attacks with her own reformed sword, "I've got'cha!"

Tenchi calmly looks on from behind the Tenchi-ken's blue blade, "You have who now?"

Once more in that cute voice of her's, Ryoko complains, "Hey! No fair cheating!"

Tenchi rolls his eyes, "So says the monster that held all of the cards thus far," then Tenchi attacks, catching the surprised Ryoko off guard with a series of well timed and positioned sword slashes and even a thrust she barely evades with a jump parry as she tries to defend and counterattack before the two of them lock blades and Tenchi realizes he should have probably picked his words more carefully.

"Monster?!" the look on Ryoko's face is not one he ever wants to see again.

Taking her blade out of the lock as though she isn't going to use it, which is precisely what she intends, Tenchi finds himself trying to balance himself before Ryoko's fist meets his face and sends him back into an intact part of the fence while she looks down, trembling in anger.

"Tell me what makes you _call_ a pretty young lady like me a _m-m-mo-mon-monster!"_ she's already stomping towards Tenchi, so furious that she can barely get out the word 'monster.'

"Oh come on!" Tenchi complains back, "You walk through fire, you walk through walls, you rip holes in the roof, and you can even _fly!"_

Still stomping angrily over to Tenchi, Ryoko responds, "Very good reasons, but not good enough!"

Ryoko then steps on a piece of maintenance equipment. It looks like one of the rakes for the school or it could be a piece of something else. Whatever it is, doesn't matter. Ryoko swings her right arm around to bash it the side, but inside, it partially wraps around her arm, stalling her for a second to be rid of it.

Suddenly, Tenchi feels the Tenchi-ken take control to end this fight.

Dashing the short distance, or rather pulled it by the Tenchi-ken, Tenchi watches as Ryoko reacts in surprise at Tenchi's sudden attack. Ryoko starts to pull back, but she's unable to move fast enough. The Tenchi-ken moves to remove her right hand at the wrist from her arm. But at the last second, Tenchi is able to take control.

The Tenchi-ken misses, just barely, but before Ryoko can process what is happening, she feels pain lance through her arm as Tenchi stabs the Tenchi-ken into her arm and reveals Kasumi's staff.

"Let's see how well you fight a gem down!" Tenchi then places Kasumi's staff onto the Tenchi-ken.

The edges of the grip grew out and revealed a staff. The staff's design yielded great light and catching the lights of the fires and the Tenchi-ken, made it glow like a sun. With a smirk, Tenchi realizes it must be named the Hinata-bō.

"I may not be able to use Hinata, but I can still call upon it to aid me in taking away your gem!" and with that, Ryoko's gem is pulled from her wrist as Tenchi concentrates and Ryoko's screams and tries to free her arm, but to no avail.

The gem appears in the beam of the Tenchi-ken, "Not again!" Ryoko wails seeing it, and both watch as it travels the beam's length to the hilt.

Once there, rather than be locked in the pommel of the Tenchi-ken, it is locked away in the grip of the Hinata-bō instead. It appears, sealing itself towards the top of the guard. With a flash of light, it is locked by Hinata and cannot be freed except by Hinata's command.

"Now for the others!" Tenchi declares, as Ryoko twists her arm and allows her hand to be cut off instead, backing away before tripping and falling to the ground, defeated.

In mid air, Tenchi sees Ryoko's severed hand catch fire and instantly burn away. Regaining control he pulls the two weapons apart, seeing both revert to their standby phases. Tenchi can tell Ryoko is defeated. Even she can tell as she hiccups a bit.

"Another battle lost," she bemoans facing the starry night above, "The story of my life," before bringing her right hand up, only to find it is gone.

And more importantly, as the wind blows, she discovers what she tripped on. Looking down at herself, she can see from just above her bellybutton down, her clothes are cut wide open. She's sitting on her bottom, on what's left of her obi, skirt, and panties, showing off most of her body. Her face heating up as this could be easily one of her top worst defeats ever. If not the _top_.

"Sorry!" Ryoko looks up to see Tenchi taking his shirt off and then placing it over her exposed body. "I didn't want to hurt you actually," Tenchi explains immediately, surprised to see no blood from the rather grievous wound. "I didn't mean to cut off, I mean…" standing up real quick and bowing formally, "I'm sorry. I lost control of the Tenchi-ken in that moment."

Ryoko surprised by her opponent's honesty and realizing that he must have lead her into a trap without her knowing or realizing at that critical moment, only smiles and giggles before revealing that she still has some power, even without the gems.

Creating a small blue light above her left pointer finger, she sweeps her hand forward to the empty space on her right arm. In doing so, a wave of green particles follow and then, hand flat against the space her right hand and wrist had been. Dropping them to her waist, she pulls her right arm and left hand apart. There, before Tenchi's amazed eyes, Ryoko's right hand begins to reappear.

"Ta-da!" she smiles, revealing that she has her right hand again.

"Whoah…" Tenchi gently takes it as his wide eyes goes over it, Ryoko giggling the whole time. "Even without the gems, you have amazing power Ryoko."

Ryoko only giggles as the boy gently touches and confirms that there is flesh and blood there. It is an ability he thought he would never see. Sure. He once saw a lizard grow its tail back. But this? This is something else altogether!

Then a thought comes to mind, "Uh… Your clothes?" he worried and Ryoko only blushes deeper, "SORRY!"

With a resigned sigh, Ryoko admits though, "I can fix them given time. But I have to admit, you've outdone me Tenchi. I can admit to that," then giggling a bit suddenly, "Though truthfully," Ryoko blushes in a way she knows is out of character for herself as she gently wraps her arms around Tenchi's neck, "I don't mind that it is you," this causes Tenchi to blush as well, "I know you didn't mean it and that if you wanted too, you only had to ask."

Tenchi cannot form words, but he doesn't need to. Ryoko lifts herself up enough to kiss Tenchi on the cheek. Yes, she wants to do his lips, they both would like that. But right now… Well…

Tenchi watches as Ryoko begins to sink into the ground, "Maybe next time tiger," she pecks him on the cheek once more and disappears.

"Ryoko," Tenchi breathes out before the school explodes behind Tenchi.

With a series of curses, Tenchi collects his things, gets his shirt back on, and leaves the area in a hurry.

Just because he and his grandfather are on good terms with the Lord Governor and that his uncle does work for the Lord Governor and that the Lord Governor's 8-year old daughter favors him, _doesn't_ mean that the Lord Governor will _believe_ this crazy night!

 **XXXX**

With a yawn, a tired young woman is driving down the highway on her vacation. She's trying to find a good spot to spend the night. Somewhere preferably Britannian in this district.

Her yellow eyes scan the dark area outside and sees a what appears to be a fire. The skyline is alight in that area with bellowing black clouds. The late night and knowing she's nowhere near an important Britannian district, she can't help but consider it an accident. This is what she is further lead to believe when police and fire units race by without the military escort she knows back in the Tokyo Settlement or anywhere to the north of here.

As such, she's just a tired, lost tourist. Flicking some bluish teal colored long hair over her shoulder and getting it out of her eyes, she sees a young man trying to flag her down. From his clothes and appearance, a local school boy. She finds that suspicious as she gently slows down and yet pulls out her pistol, getting it caught on her purse for a moment before freeing it, she makes sure to keep it hidden.

Though her wallet tumbles from her purse as she frees and hides her weapon. The wallet opens up to reveal her in her military uniform on her picture ID with the name and caption of 'Knight Lieutenant, Dame Villetta Nu.'

Villetta brings her car to a stop and opens the window halfway to the relief of the young teenage boy. Though she notes his eyes are more round than usual. So he has some European ancestry in him. Other than dark hair and purple eyes that stand out and remind her of the Emperor, he looks like a normal boy. A bit handsome too, a very treasonous part of her mind tells her, but she keeps her face neutral.

"Hello miss, sorry for the bother, but can you help me?" he speaks in clear English, obviously having properly studied the language.

"Depends?" Villetta eyes him up and down, noting a bruise forming on one cheek and that he looks like he's been in a fight and smells of smoke. "What do you need help with?"

"I was out late with some friends and if I don't get home soon, my younger sister is going to kill me," he bows deeply, "So can you please give me a lift home? Or even just close enough that I can save time and hopefully survive her wrath!"

The boy does look quite nervous and from the looks of it, it isn't because he looks like he was in a fight and near something that caught fire.

Like say the big fire she noticed earlier.

Though she'll bet that whatever happened, will add to his woes once his sister gets a hold of him.

She mulls it over for a moment and then decides on something, "You know any Britannian specific and only hotels in this area?"

Seeing the young man look up with blinking eyes before realization sets in, "Oh! You must be from out of town."

"Yes I am," Villetta states, "I've come down from the Tokyo Settlement," she smirks when she sees him recoil slightly, "on vacation and I appear a bit lost in this region."

"Tokyo Settlement," the boy breathes, "I hear that place is rife with violence and gaff. The Lord Governor warns all of his citizens to go nowhere near unless we have too on business," Tenchi suddenly stands up straight, nodding his head, "He says that to all of the citizens, even the Britannians ones. I knew someone, a Britannian girl who went up there once, fortunately, some maid was able to save her from some Britannian men. She wanted to attend Ashford Academy, but will now go no further away than the fiefdom's borders."

Villetta winces at hearing that. All of that. Unfortunately, she knows it to be true and why she's on vacation in the first place. To get away from it all.

"Unfortunately," the boy begins again, pulling Villetta's attention back to him, "The Lord Governor has no provisions for Britannian-Only I'm afraid."

Villetta curses mentally at that. What kind of lord forgets to do _that_?

"He believes that since Japan is now a part of the Empire, we will be Britannians some day and so he wants the transition from one nationality to next to be smooth and gentle," Villetta actually blinks at that. In truth, it makes sense. She can suppose that the boy said Japan as many might say that of other long held territories. So she can overlook it.

"I see," with a sigh, she'll likely have to get used to dealing with local commoners being a lot more closer than she thought or would like.

"But let me think for a moment?" the boy continues, trying to think, but shivers in the cold outside, so Villetta opens her window a bit more and turns her heat up, "Thank you ma'am, that's very nice of you."

"You're providing me with directions," she smiles back at the boy who smiles easily back, ' _Just don't get used to such kindness Eleven. Sense it may make. Yet, it will be years before Area Eleven is a proper territory of the Empire.'_

"Oh no," the boy realizes something.

"What is it?" Villetta looks around carefully, hoping not be ambushed, her grip tightening on her weapon.

The boy looks sheepish, "You arrived at a bad time. I just remembered that there is a large convention in town in the running up to some summit about Sakuradite," the boy looks very apologetic and Villetta suddenly remembers being warned about where she shouldn't go unless she plans ahead of time.

"Dammit!" she curses, "I'm in _that_ town of all places!"

"Unfortunately ma'am," the boy looks apologetic, but then he has an idea, "If I may recommend, my uncle is employed on occasion by the Lord Governor, so our home is very nice. Traditional Japanese, but we do have some beds and spare items for guests. Even a spare toilet and bath as well for guests. There is no one currently staying and if there are, I can ask a classmate whose mother knows of a small inn an hour's drive outside of town that might have a room open."

' _An hour's drive?!'_ Villetta mentally winces, but the Eleven admits that his family has done some work for the local lord. She could tell he is being honest and well… ' _Screw it,'_ she thinks.

"Very well, I will take you up on your hospitality, um?" Villetta begins, hoping to get some information.

"Oh yes!" the boy bows, "I am Tenchi, Tenchi Masaki."

Nodding her head, "Knight Lieutenant, Dame Villetta Nu," and the boy comes up in surprise, "I hope that will not be a problem?"

The boy instead smiles, "Not at all Dame Nu! It would be the _honor_ of my family to host you even for one night! The Lord Governor speaks well of Margrave Gottwald, saying he is a fine knight and loyal officer to the Empire! A former Palace Guardsman I understand. It would be our honor!"

Surprised by the shift in the boy's body language and attitude, as well as his knowledge, then he must know of her and Jeremiah, but apparently, not that they are Purists.

Nevertheless, she slides her weapon out of sight and tells him to get in the passenger door. She's tired. He's clearly proving to be harmless. What sort of trouble could happen?

Little did she know, she would kick herself in the rear in a couple of hours for that thought.

And find her entire view on life shattered and put back together in a way that she never expected.

 **XXXX**

Villetta Nu had at least found herself mildly entertained upon entering the Masaki residence.

The home itself has some semblance to traditional Japanese philosophy and architecture. Simple, two story, with a small addition to one side. It is bordered by a stone wall up to two and half meters, possibly three meters tall. The wall is topped by wooden panels, giving it a pleasing look to the eye and appears to also act as a roof for the wall itself. Not a bad idea as it appears to stop both intruders and wear from nature. The same of the simple wooden gateway that lead inside. The name Masaki written in both Japanese and English hanging next to the gates. She had to admit, the traditional local language gave it character.

There's a small fish pond with a small bridge over it. A stone path leading to the front door from the gateway. A simple wooden box for the mail and other post. Even the morning newspaper.

A small garage had been added at a later date that also had a stone walkway and continued the design of the house. Currently, it is used for guests and storage. Mostly the latter. Though there is enough room for her car to sit in it comfortably. Unlike some of her rank and stature, she decided on something smaller, less obvious for when she went on vacation.

Also far more reliable with easy to access parts on hand at most garages.

She has to admit, the local auto makers know their trade. Then again, she is talking about Britannian companies. She and Jeremiah and the other Purists never really liked those bastards to begin with. They were either connected or smart enough not to get into trouble. Usually both.

Though, once they had entered, her opinion of young Tenchi Masaki's heritage had increased when they were met by his irate younger sister who was tearing into him and a few strips off of him.

Said young girl looks far more Britannian than her brother does. Their skin is heavily tanned, perhaps also somewhat dyed. Coupled with what is clearly a strong effort, the two are able to make themselves look _less_ Britannian. Which in turns leads to questions that she figures she already knows the answers to.

' _Some nobles need to remember to keep their pants up and skirts down if they don't want mix breed children,'_ Villetta had thought at seeing the two arguing.

The sandy brunette's violet purple eyes had eventually gone from being that of a wrathful goddess to that of an inquisitive and cautious young girl. After introducing herself at Hinata Masaki, she had called their uncle in. The man who appeared surprised her.

Nobuyuki Masaki has a pencil thin mustache, frameless rectangular glasses over purple eyes, his jet black hair is parted down the middle and closely trimmed along the sides with two strands from his bangs hanging out over his forehead, and with a face that is _almost_ easy to forget.

She really can't say his face is rugged. But it is sort of like that. His cheeks are sharp and at the bones down, cut a 'V' down to his chin. His ears are a little flared out and he has eyes that are somewhat more longer than the norm for Elevens. Yet that is offset by being a bit wider towards the middle.

He's colored more darkly than his nephew. Showing him to be naturally closer to a bronze-tan color. His shoulders are a bit broad as well and he has a medium build and is actually surprisingly tall, perhaps near Jeremiah in height.

He's also wearing a brown button up office shirt with a red and yellow striped tie and dark brown office pants. He has the sleeves rolled up revealing muscle tone that isn't what one might expect of an office worker. Indeed, his eyes are calculating and studying. His feet are positioned for a quick take down, in much the same way she has seen police officers stand. She wonders if he had been with the Eleven's police forces prior to the invasion and simply became an architect afterwards?

Would make sense, yet, despite appearing as such, he clearly hasn't been active for some time.

After introductions were made, the man and his niece had a change of disposition and had proven quite welcoming. The young Hinata Masaki had taken it upon herself to look after the lady knight. As such, it hadn't taken long for her clothes to be laid out for tomorrow, a few towels and a robe to be provided for her to bathe, and a bath drawn. Even her dirty clothes were in the laundry already, ready to be nice and clean for tomorrow.

Quite the welcoming family.

The uncle had pretty much made sure that Tenchi and himself would stay on the other side of the home so as not to bother her. Though Hinata had agreed to help her with a few things and be there if needed. Villetta had to admit she is quite surprised by the family's desire to help her. Apparently the local lord _did_ know what he was doing. If this family was already considering themselves to be members of the Empire, its citizens, it would not be long before they would even forget they were an independent country once.

Though she did learn something rather surprising. Not only was the lord a good and honorable man who stuck close to the code and conduct befitting a noble lord of the Empire, but this area in general saw the invasion and subsequent defeat as the result of the Kururugi Clan and their allies to the north. As such, Britannia's overwhelming victory had simply been another change of government to them. There had been only limited fighting nearby and an incident in which a Britannian military force had been wantonly destroying and killing everyone, even other Britannians and members of the invasion forces as well, simply to slate a thirst for blood. They had been defeated by the previous lord, a Japanese lord, who had surrendered peacefully in exchange for being allowed to disband his own forces and destroy their weapons.

Because of what had happened and the embarrassment it had brought, the local invasion commander had agreed. The region had peacefully disarmed and all citizens had taken an oath of loyalty to the Empire in exchange for peace. The lord had also surrendered all pretense of returning to power in the region unless it was so declared by the Empire. Namely, the Emperor.

But instead, the current noble lord governor had been named and the man had brought only continued peace and prosperity to his fiefdom.

Thus a large section of Area 11, with a population of some 7 or 8 million people, is actually devoid of any rebel and terrorist insurgents.

The stability is simply unheard of in other areas, except maybe Hokkaido which has large stretches of empty lands. Very odd that. But welcoming.

Oh so welcoming as she feels Hinata find a knot she did not know she had. The girl has magic fingers and while Villetta is very much the Purist, she can't deny that this girl has the skills of a professional many times her age.

Then, once the knot is done, the girl sprays water over the area. The girl is showing her a traditional style Eleven bath and she has to admit, it feels kind of nice. The idea of showering off the dirt and more before just soaking away. The idea sounds so divine.

"Mmmm," Villetta makes a pleased sound as Hinata finds and deals with another knot. Then comes the soap and hot water, "I have to admit, this is so much nicer than what I typically do. Perhaps I can reconsider having my bathroom enlarged to include this style. Yes! Oh yes! Right there! Mmmm… You are skilled."

Hinata giggles, "Thank you Dame Nu," she continues to help the lady knight, "I must say, it has to be most distressing up north. The Tokyo Settlement does not have the best reputation out of all of the Settlements. In fact, I recall hearing from a friend that those that are publically known to be riddled with crime are far safer than the Tokyo Settlement. No wonder the Emperor has deemed to send skilled knights to it."

"Yes," Villetta slowly opens her eyes a little, some of her good mood lost hearing that. But between what they believed and their regular duties, some of the Purists did seek to bring improved stability and to stamp out crime and corruption in the Tokyo Settlement. None moreso than Jeremiah Gottwald. "It is a difficult duty. Lord Jeremiah does all he can, but he and our knights are a small order compared to what we found. We each do our best and perhaps part of what breeds all is that the old Tokyo Ghettos have not yet been rebuilt."

Villetta could feel Hinata slide off her back and saw the girl collapse to the wooden floor before lifting herself up, "Why not?! If those areas are not rebuilt, it would surely only encourage danger, not only from violence, but illness as well!"

For once in her life, the glorious Empire she was born to and serves so well, is simply not glorious, but vain glorious.

"It is a matter I have no power over, but don't let it be said that we have not more than once said much the same thing," Villetta sees the girl pick herself back up before her towel loosens and although they are both female and Villetta has seen many of her fellow lady knights naked, she has to admit that this girl will mature into a young lady of great beauty.

Nevertheless, the girl in question eeps and covers herself up, "Forgive that display Dame Nu. It was an accident," the girl looks embarrassed, ready for a scolding.

For once more this night, she does not mind, "Do not worry yourself Miss Masaki," Villetta indicates there is no shame or harm, "In the knights and the military, we use shared facilities because it is quick and easy to make a single large room with many shower stalls and even toilets rather than many shower rooms for individuals," with a shrug that shows a bit of her own impressive cleavage, "All military forces do. War is often said to be impersonal. This is simply the fact of life. One, if you are called upon to serve your Emperor and Empire, you will also have to become used too quickly."

Feeling better and nodding, Hinata goes to continue to wash down Villetta's back. Doing so, Hinata notices another knot and goes after it. Villetta only moans before suddenly the whole house begins to shake violently.

"What is that?! An Earthquake?" Villetta turns about, trying to find out.

"I don't think so!" Hinata shouts in panic, "We had a small one about a year and a half ago and it was nothing like this!"

Then a sound that is strange and yet has a familiarity to it catches Villetta's ear as she gets up, heedless of her nudity and runs into the changing room to retrieve her pistol, Hinata trailing after her like a page or squire with at first a towel and then her arms filled with a towel and their clothes.

"An airship this low?" Villetta knows of only a few this brazen and none should be in Area 11 right now, but whatever more she is about to think ends when she looks out a window and a regal and commanding voice shouts down from the craft…

" _RYOKO!"_

 **XXXX**

 **Minutes earlier…**

Once Hinata had taken Dame Nu to the guest area and would take care of the lady knight's personal things, Tenchi instantly retreats to his bedroom.

Or he tries too anyways.

His Uncle Nobuyuki stops him and for a good half hour reads him the riot act. He, like Hinata, is greatly disturbed by how late he stayed out. Especially without calling or otherwise informing anyone where he went after departing his classroom. Hinata had looked everywhere for him. Even the rooftop, but couldn't find him even there.

Though Tenchi lifted his head in some surprise, he held back to say he had been on the roof the whole time.

Once his uncle is done and has had his discussion with Tenchi, he asks his nephew about the latest project their lord had asked of him. Tenchi has to admit, his uncle is truly a craftsman. The new manor the lord is building for the Viceroy is nearing completion. They had had some difficulty with quality control regarding shipments from the Empire proper and had eventually settled to make localized versions that would be of better character and design. To offset the new costs, only specially made custom items would go into the new manor. Other items would be sold on the open market, increasing the wealth of the region.

There were several specific areas of the new manor that are distinctly Japanese though. One is the large onsen which will have a natural hot spring, the location being a bit too troublesome for normal tourism trade it is hardly a loss to the region. The other is the traditional Japanese styled Archery Range which will include Yumi Bows and Arrows. Another is a tea room that would typically be used for tea ceremony in a Japanese Lord's castle or manor. And finally, a Japanese Sauna and traditional enclosed bath. A few of each in fact.

A lot of the themes would use Western styling, specifically, Roman decorative art and such. Unfortunately, the Euro Universe is putting a hold on trading with Britannia. Little surprise there. Not since that naval skirmish that the Vampire of Britannia started when he belatedly entered EU waters and nearly destroyed a naval base on a small Russian island. In response, other nations have made their displeasure known as well and Britannia was only carrying on internal trade. Thus everything is being done locally and the skilled artisans would likely prove of such skill to such a master artist as the Viceroy.

So, with his opinion given, much to Nobuyuki's delight, Tenchi was released and soon, he is entering his room and switching on his light, "Home at last."

Relieved to be free of Hinata's wrath and his uncle's riot act, Tenchi takes a few deep breathes. He is tired and somewhat beat up, literally. The fight with Ryoko had pretty much leveled his school he bets. There will be questions and he knows damn well that he can't hide from them. But how will he explain Ryoko and what she can do?

Walking over to his bed, Tenchi turns around and just drops onto the edge of it.

Holding up the Tenchi-ken and Hinata-bō, which he still has to return to Hinata and explain about so she can hopefully use it, "This sword sure is powerful and I have little doubt that the staff is too in its own way," Tenchi lets out a sigh as he gazes across his room.

His room is little more than a normal room. A low set bed and a low set bedside drawer with an alarm clock and a pyramid decorative piece. He had a large bookcase with a desk set into it. A small reading lamp on the desk, a drawer to hold his things in it, two cabinets to either side for papers and other items. The wooden chair with a dirty shirt on it. His clothes basket sat near the door. Hinata did most of the laundry, which he thought odd. She should be at that age of not wanting to touch her brother's underwear, but she does it and he occasionally does it as well, doing Hinata's underwear.

In hindsight, the siblings are fairly close that way.

He just hope he doesn't end up becoming uncle papa like in a few of those ecchi books their uncle bought him.

Reading about it is one thing. Doing it is a whole other thing. One Tenchi firmly has no intent on doing.

In fact, he wonders if he has actually read those more than once or twice?

Perverted Uncle.

Other than a baseball bat and glove in one corner and a soccer ball in another, a few track and field awards along with a couple of trophies for baseball and soccer as well as scholarship awards for his grades, Tenchi's room is as normal as can a boy of his age can make it.

Even his shorts from yesterday are laying next to instead of inside the clothes basket. A lone sock next to them as well. And there's one of his detective novels sitting out as well. Next to a model of a Japanese tank and a European warship. He has his own honest opinions about the Imperial Army and Navy. None that he wishes to disclose. Especially not with a knight in the house at the moment. Of course, there are still the models of Knightmare Frames in the room. Including foreign Knightmares and statistical data he has been able to compile over the last few years.

Really… A laptop on the desk… And why is he wanting to turn away from the facts?

Leaning forward, "I wonder what happened to Ryoko? As much as I don't want to admit it, I do want to think about it. For everything that was happening, I really think… But it's over."

Then with a tired yawn in more ways than one, Tenchi stretches and then leans back, promptly falling on his back across his bed.

For a moment, he lays there. Then he realizes that he's not laying flat. He's slightly bent. And there's something under him.

"Hinata and uncle are elsewhere along with Dame Nu," Tenchi says as he feels and finds a form under his blankets. But there is one high possibility, "It couldn't be…"

And as he sits up and then reaches for the top of his comforter, he gulps slightly before drawing it slowly back. There, he sees first that cyan hair color, spikey as he recalls it. Then the bobbed pointed ear, the red gem that is the source of her power hanging like an earring. Continuing down until it down to her waist. Exposed in her teal dress and pink long vest and black obi, is Ryoko sleeping on her side.

Then, with a moan, Ryoko rolls over onto back, shifting her legs and one hand going to rest on his pillow while the other begins a fruitful search for his comforter, but because he still holds it, can't be brought back up. Though that is little trouble. The chief trouble is that her top has opened up. He's amazed that her clothes are whole once more, she did restore part of her sleeve after he cut her hand off after all. But it looks like here, that it had simply become undone and he can see what size of bra she wears, supposing if she ever wore one, given how she was bouncy and he didn't mean her personality or has she kept moving all over the place.

Normally, a guy would panic under the circumstances. Heck, Tenchi feels like panicking. Yet one memory remains strong…

' _Lelooouuchh. Nunnnaalllyyy.'_

She never once used those against them. No doubt, she had always been that presence. Especially after their grandmother passed away. In fact, looking at her sleeping and peaceful face, he can see her now. A memory of so long ago. Ryoko, standing there on a rock, looking down at him as he reached out and-

Tenchi shook his head. How could he recall being in Japan as an infant?! It couldn't be possible! Could it?

But with a sigh, Tenchi knows that if he wants to keep things peaceful, he best be quick.

Practice born of years, Tenchi has Ryoko's obi and her boots. He quickly sets them to the side. If Ryoko wishes another fight, well… She would have to do so with a handicap.

Though, he might just leave her to sleep in his bed. She couldn't probably use some real sleep. It wouldn't surprise him. Then should he… Go further? Now he feels a panic attack coming on.

And as he wonders what next to do, he feels to arms again circle themselves around his neck and he's gently pulled down and over.

With gentle, but playful yellow eyes, like those of cats… Ryoko leans up to kiss his other cheek before laying back down with a warm, if mischevious smile, "Welcome home Tenchi."

Given what he's feeling and realizing in hindsight that he kind of brought this on himself, Tenchi somehow manages to bring his hands up to clap them twice before having to balance himself and he has to admit…

' _If every girl from space is like Ryoko, I don't know what will kill me first. Their powers or their wiles.'_

 **XXXX**

 **Next time on** _ **Heavenly Spirit, Earthly Revolt:**_

 **From across distant space, a girl in love searches for her to be. Within her tree, timeless sleep. Her guardians, ever protecting, stand a silent vigil. Waiting.**

 **A wait that soon will end.**

 **Soon, the arrival of a new princess from space, seeking her long lost fiance, Yosho, complicates the already complicated matter involving Ryoko. How will Tenchi deal with this newest arrival and the resulting battle between the First Crowned Princess of the Jurai Empire, Ayeka Masaki Jurai, and her archrival Hakubi Ryoko, the Class-SSS Wanted Space Pirate.**

" **SAY WHAT!?"**

" **I thought Ryoko was a demon?"**

" **WAS THAT ANY BETTER?!"**

" **At least she would be from Earth then."**

" **You... have a good point there."**

" **But I will like to know one thing though?"**

" **Yes?"**

" **WHY WAS RYOKO PRACTICALLY NAKED IN MY BROTHER'S ROOM?!"**

" **Little sisters and their priorities, but I can hardly speak."**

" **I wish I could have filmed Tenchi's first time for the sake of-AAAAAAAHHHHAACCKK!"**

" **PERVERT/HENTAI!"**

 **Next time…** _ **No Need for Complicating Trouble!**_

" **Oh my! I do hope I will not be so much trouble. Not very good manners after all."**

 **XXXX**

 **Okay, I know one guy pointed this out when I shared it with him, but the Tenchi and Hinata scene. I did that to make it look like an incest scene, but you'll note that each of the several references included a follow up where Tenchi/Lelouch makes it clear that there is no way he is going to marry his sister Hinata/Nunnally. As the story progresses, there will be a bit of the two thinking about it through. There is firm, logical reason behind it though. Then the idea will be discarded.**

 **The logical reasoning is that the two had, for some time, come to the conclusion that they couldn't marry anyone else. Given their history, despite everything, logic would dictate that they would be alone for their lives. So they could very well marry one another and hope to start a family of their own.**

 **There is also the in-story aspect that when the two were children, Nunnally and Euphemia had an argument over who would marry Lelouch. Small, childish thing we all know that could happen in close knit families and all that. Heck if I know. I'm the youngest of three (Mother) and the oldest of three (Father, though I still yet to meet them, but I intend to correct). So I literally know nothing about that as much as anyone else here, ya know.**

 **Now, what kills that aspect is the introduction of Ryoko, Ayeka, Mihoshi, Sasami, and Washu. Though, in this story, I will be adding in the continued OVA addition of Noike Kamiki Jurai and the import of Kiyone Makibi from** _ **Tenchi Universe**_ **and** _ **Tenchi in Tokyo!**_

 **That also means Nagi and Ken-Ohki will appear, but like Kiyone Makibi's background I'm going to alter to reflect different aspects due to the importing to the** _ **Tenchi Muyo!**_ **storyline and thus this story.**

 **In addition, we all know that Suzaku Kururugi is alive and well. I decided to separate them and make them believe that one another is dead. Suzaku will appear later on in the story. He and Nunnally will obviously get close. Which will create an in-story joke about how Nunnally and Euphemia end up arguing over who will marry Suzaku!**

 **Unless I get enough requests, I will write up Tenchi/Lelouch and Euphemia, adding the pinknette to the harem.**

 **Which leads me to the canon Lelouch girls!**

 **Okay… First up:**

 **Kallen Stadfeld/Kozuki!**

 **Everyone's favorite redhead. I think she's more favored than both Kushina Uzumaki and Asuka Soryu Langley. Though I could be wrong. We'll have to see. While I'm a general Kal/Lulu shipper, I can also see Kallen and Gino Winoberg. They have such close personalities in a way. And skills to match too.**

 **Kaguya Sumeragi is next!**

 **Zero's self-proclaimed bride and wife. Well… Let's face some facts… I think she's barely older than Sasami and younger than Nunnally. So… I'm going to have to get back to everyone on that one. Seriously.**

 **C.C. is the next contestant!**

 **Now if anyone knows her absolute true name and that isn't a Mc-whatever the name is again that used to push a story forward without letting you know the truth behind the whole thing or even seeing the thing, please let me know. I can definitely use it. That said, are favorite pizza eating greenette is right up there with Kaguya even though I ship CC/LL just as much.**

 **Milly Ashford is coming up!**

 **Good ole Milly… Honestly, I do say that Milly and Lelouch has to be the most logical pairing in the entire series at the end of the day. I mean everything about it screams Milly would marry Lelouch in the end. Lelouch would also break up the Empire and simply become the last monarch or govern over a small kingdom after bringing peace to the world. But that never happened, so don't ask me why. That said, Milly is** _ **definitely**_ **on the list folks. Simply because I can't see her with anyone else and I can see her** _ **easily**_ **with Lelouch.**

 **Shirley Fenette our fair young maiden to never wed!**

 **Frankly, I can also see Shirley as that logical other. Despite everything that can be said, Shirley just strikes me as that definite girl. I know we all see that and agree with it. Probably would have been the canon pairing ending if she hadn't died. Can't say I blame Rolo though. He never really had a family and then he's to pose as Lelouch's younger brother in Nunnally's place as the younger sibling. When you look at it that way, he was jealous and envious of Nunnally and the others who garnered Lelouch's attention. He really wanted to be the younger brother and have a family to call his own. Maybe if he had thought a few more steps ahead, he would have realized how good having Shirley for a 'big sister' would have been. Plus the nieces and nephews folks. Heck, I can actually see a Rolo/Nunnally pairing on top of a Lelouch/Shirley pairing. Hmm…? Me has an idea there.**

 **Now for the surprising entry to this line up… Villetta Nu!**

 **Okay, this one is a personal favorite and I can somehow see it logically happening. I don't have the foggiest idea why I see it that way. Seriously, I do not. But the fact is that I can easily see Lelouch and Villeta marrying. Almost a lot like Kallen. For example, how Kallen is supposed to represent, in a way, Marianne vi Britannia and Lelouch represent Charles zi Britannia. A case of capable men, able to lead nations, but behind them, being their very strength are the women that they love. In this way, Villetta also stands in place of Kallen, representing the same thing, 'That behind every Great Man, is a Great Woman.'**

 **So… Until I can either figure out something different or I find myself having been crazy to think it, Villetta will be a story canon lover of Tenchi Masaki/Lelouch vi Britannia.**

 **Shirley has a high chance of joining as well. Milly, as I said, is also in. The other girls… Maybe not, but we'll see.**

 **Now unless I get an uber amount of requests… There will be no Lu/Nu pairing. Got me? Good.**

 **Seriously… This is going to be a bit of a headache. Plus I need to check** _ **Ai Tenchi Muyo!**_ **and see if he picks up anymore girls… Geez…**

 **At least it won't end like it does in** _ **War on Geminar**_ **!**

 **An entire school of girls… That's just purely insane!**

 **XXXX**

 **Well… Author's Note:**

 **This story has a high priority listing to get done. Simply because no one has really done this format before. Another thing to note is that I purposely gave purple eyes to Nobuyuki so as to show that he is descended of the same line as Tenchi and Hinata. Creates that whole family bond that we hear about. Therefore, he has purple eyes because of him being descended from Yosho.**

 **Other stories are also being worked on as well. Among these includes my Muv-Luv story, Gate story, Fire Emblem story, and several other stories. I am also getting a few others out and I intend to start work on them again. Possibly entirely new write ups. Expect to see, for once and real this time, more stories being released more often. That includes chapters.**

 **So… I'll be seeing you guys all around a lot more and keep those Reviews coming in. I shall be using the Flamers Reviews to stay warm by the fire. Roasting my marshmallows and enjoying a cup of hot chocolate.**

 **So this is F-14 Tomcat Lover signing off with the reminder…**

" **The Big Cat is on the Prowl… So Bee Eaters, start running."**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Heavenly Spirit, Earthly Revolt**_

 _ **Chapter Two**_

 _ **No Need for Complicating Trouble!**_

 **XXXX**

The wind rustles the leaves gently in the dark night. The stars shine peacefully as they always do. The night is still and the animals are asleep.

Or should be, but the local birds are wide awake and making a lot of noise. On top of that, the wind is picking up heavily. The leaves are now making sharp sounds as their branches creak and groan from being shaken.

Then suddenly, the area is illuminated by multicolor beams of light.

The lights appear from a circled array of what appear to be logs with a single uniformed line in them. They are arranged around a large tree set upon a stepped platform with pools of water and a series of steps to the tree. Two large, tan color logs stand upright right near the base of the tree which has a strange symbol over an oddly colored portion of it.

As the lights finally uniform into continuous beams, the two 'logs' suddenly rotate to reveal the scroll for 'Azaka' and 'Kamidake' on them as well as four small protrusions at their base and a single fisheye style eyepiece lens just above their respective names.

Suddenly, the eyepiece lens glow blue and the area on the tree with the strange marking opens up, releasing vapors and streams of whitish gas smoke. A hidden chamber is unveiled and inside is a figure in a large and bulky looking white helmet with pink edges with the coloring that continues on to the large robe attached to it.

A closer inspection would reveal a young lady, in her mid to late teens. Her skin appears to be another color, a light purple shade, though what little light that suddenly appears throughout the space and can touch her, reveal a far more softer color, like that of a light copper peach color.

"All systems activated," a young, almost quick male voice suddenly reports, "Unlock the time freeze now," it goes on to order.

Gaseous fumes suddenly envelope and puff away from the girl. Her facial color turning to a more pinkish peach color with a slight red hue. Her closed eyelids begin to shift. This is followed by her lips trembling slightly. Her eyebrows also twitch as the movement of warm blood reacts with the formerly immobilized muscles. She is beginning to wake from suspended animation.

"All systems synchronize to bridge standard times," the same voice continues on.

Suddenly, the lips part partially, hinting at the white teeth behind them. Then the eyelids finally begin to slowly open. The hidden pinkish-watermelon irises are slowly revealed to all. They also have a red tinge to them.

Slowly, having awakened, the girl steps out. Her steps are measured and precise. Beneath her helmet and robes are what appear to be a finely made kimono of light blue cloth edged in a darker blue with a red obi at her waist. Across her front is a golden plate attached by red cloth strings to her helmet and robe combination beneath which, purple tresses of hair can be seen along with a wooden intercrossed crown of some sort resting on her forehead.

There is little to mistake. This young lady is some type of royalty. Her stride and grace are perfect examples of this. As is her voice, which though gentle and soft, still carries a bit of weight of leadership.

"What planet is this?" she observes send planet's night side with her head tilted upwards.

"Colonize Planet Number 0315," another male voice, this time measured and calm, responds at once, "Earth."

With a smile blossoming on her face and her eyes shining, the royal daughter speaks in a low, but still gentle if excited voice, "Then this is where my brother Yosho is!"

The previous, younger voice responds with a different report, "No, what we detected from this planet are two things."

"Two things?" the confused girl responds to the younger voice.

"Yes," the voice continues, "The first is an unknown energy signature that was not there on the previous scan by surveyors of the last survey cycle and the second is Ryoko, though she appears to not be involved in anyway at this time with the unknown energy signature."

Any remaining good cheer left the girl immediately as she processes that.

With a snarl forming on her face, she looks away as she holds in the desire to growl. The mere thought of _that_ woman causes her blood to boil.

"Not that woman," her tone is controlled and mannered, but clearly she is angered by hearing about Ryoko. "What does this mean?"

The older, mature voice then speaks, "We have yet to detect Yosho's ship, Funaho, but he was in pursuit of Ryoko," the voice pauses for a moment to let that be digested, "Logically, it would follow that-"

The young lady interrupts her servant, "I see, that woman and Ryo-Ohki must be caught and formally tried by our planet Jura as soon as possible," she states immediately, "At the same time, we will gather information on this unknown energy signature and pass it to the relative ministries."

The young royals two servants would have shared a look if they look if they could. They both know that the information they are about to impart will… not be well received.

"Princess Ayeka," the younger sounding voice begins, even as the two servants put up holo images of a certain woman's list of crimes and the warrants and reports about them along with a photo of the woman smiling happily, if snarkily with a hand up with fingers spread in the V for Victory sign, which is also a rather rude gesture in several places, "Unfortunately, all of Hakubi Ryoko's crimes will be cancelled by Statute of Limitations at Galaxy Time 00432 or in five seconds."

The Princess Ayeka can only make a dumbstruck face at hearing that tidbit of information even as she registers what was said, "What?"

Watching in horror as a holographic counter ticks away before her. In mere moments, the counter reaches zero. Upon doing so, Ryoko's galaxy wanted file instantly disappears from before the shocked princess' eyes.

"As of this moment," the older voice begins, "The Statute of Limitations has taken effect and Hakubi Ryoko's Galaxy Wanted File has been destroyed."

The Princess Ayeka's dumbfounded look morphs into uncomprehending before she begins to feel and speak her anger, "Destroyed?!" she almosts yells, before demanding, "Answer me why is it!?"

"The Statute of Limitations is based on decisions made by the Holy Council of planet Jurai," the older voice speaks calmly, aware of his princess' ire, but knowing there is little that can be done about the matter.

Making a small sound at hearing _who_ had made the decisions, Princess Ayeka is still not mollified, "That is not what I asked! I want to know why that woman is not sought after for all eternity!?"

"The Statute of Limitations is based upon decisions made by the Holy Council of planet Jurai," even before the older voice can finish, Princess Ayeka has made her decision.

"Never mind," she begins, even as her servant was speaking, "The only clue left to us is that woman," seeing the Earth from high above, Ayeka can see why it held such a special place to her father, beyond his first wife and with that thought, she is now calm and full of resolve, Princess Ayeka knows her course, "We must capture her at any cost."

"But the Statute of Limitations-" the older voice is cut off by Princess Ayeka.

"This is an order!" she makes clear, "We will think of a reason later."

The younger voice responds immediately, "Yes Ma'am."

Nodding, "Good. Now prepare for descent," she orders.

An old satellite gets a view of the ship. Despite being an older Britiannian Military Satellite for reconnaissance and orbital spy work, it has been left derelict. Recording the passing vessel which resembles a jewel inside of a wooden frame with a cruising appearance like that of old fighter planes and ridges like ribs poking out from the flanks in a manner similar to rower stations and a prow like that of an ancient wooden ship with a raised horn like bow, the Satellite drifts, its image never reaching Britannian.

Instead, the images are intercepted by a certain group of people on the planet who note the ship and inform their leader who only shrugs, having expected the ship's appearance, though not so soon.

If the satellite could see inside the ship and record everything, it would note the forlorn look of hope as Princess Ayeka speaks to the open air of her ship, thinking of her beloved, "Be well Yosho. My beloved Yosho, please be well."

 **XXXX**

Back in Tenchi's room, he's having a mild panic attack.

Could be worse. His sister could walk in on him and Ryoko and kill him right then and there.

The only thing that could make even that scenario worse, is if their grandfather was with her. Fortunately, he's back at the family shrine in the mountains. So he doesn't have to worry any in that regard.

Sure, there is the governor's young daughter. Really young daughter in his opinion. The girl is young enough that she won't be of marriageable age until Tenchi is midway into his Twenties. So he hopes of her entertained notions of her and him getting married in the foreseeable future is very… er… Not happening.

"Now that I think about it…" Tenchi mutters, though Ryoko listens in carefully, "Is the universe out to get me or something?"

"Thinking about someone walking in?" Tenchi looks down into those mischievous eyes, "I wouldn't mind. Not. One. Bit," she teases him and Tenchi decides there and now to tease her right back with a sudden kiss to her cheek and a…

"I'm home Ryoko," he grins as it takes the woman before him a couple of moments to process what he just did and said and then her face takes on a crimson and truthfully…

She wouldn't mind being Masaki Ryoko.

A settled down life, peaceful, with kids and a good home. A husband and a future devoid of the chaos she had once lived. Sure it could be fun and all, but only when it was worth it. Half the time, it wasn't. So a good man to call her husband, father her children, and take care of things, call Ryoko a little old fashion, especially given her lifestyle, but dammit if she didn't want someone to take care of her and leave her with only a house, a house to call her own, to take care of.

That would be a life in and of itself. Alas, not with her record and reputation. Plus it might be impossible for her to transition to housewife from space pirate. Where she had her own freedom and independence to do what she willed and wished.

"All fun things aside," she hates having to say so, "I think we have something to talk about. Something important."

With a sigh, Tenchi can tell she won't get too aggressive, yet. So getting up and off Ryoko, though doing his best to hide that he's observing the bounce and sway before she closes her top back up, fixing her collar in the process and putting her obi back on. She leaves her boots off, though, they now hang up off the floor.

Then she turns to Tenchi as he eyes her carefully as she looks expectantly.

"So what is it you want to talk about?" Tenchi eyes her warily, as she takes a bit of shift in her stance.

"Fun stuff aside, I just want your family jewels is all," Ryoko proclaims hand out, waiting.

Silence follows that statement. One could hear the wind blow outside even. She did not just say that, did she?

But ye-yup. She stands there with an expectant look on her face, hand out.

With a tired sigh Tenchi looks Ryoko straight in the eye and deadpans, "If you want children that badly, why did we have to get up and you properly dressed?"

Ryoko suddenly blinks as she process what Tenchi just said to her before it dawns on her just what she said and she blushes at the mention of children before stuttering out, "N-n-n-n-not those family jewels!" her face so crimson, Tenchi wonders if she has any blood left in her toes, "I meant the jewels in your family's sword!"

The look Tenchi is giving her, tells her that was another reference to the same mistake.

"I mean the three jewels in the Tenchi-ken!" Ryoko finally gets out, flustered about her mistakes, "And the one in the Hinata-bo as well!"

Tenchi has to admit, the look on Ryoko's face definitely helps make up for some of Hinata's chewing out. And if he's right, then Ryoko is also one used to causing others to get flustered. He _definitely_ still has it! Maybe he'll find something nice for his uncle and grandfather, even if it risks Hinata's wrath.

Honestly… _How_ does his younger sister have such power?

"For what reason would you need them other than what I've seen and can only guess at?" Tenchi inquires, carefully, as he figures that Ryoko will get desperate somehow.

With a sigh, "I need them to control Ryo-Ohki," Ryoko responds, wondering how Tenchi got her so flustered. _That's_ her job! Not the other way around, dammit!

Tenchi thinks for a moment, tapping his foot as he remembers, "The other demon in the legend, or more likely a starship with your gems acting as a type of remote control if I'm not mistaken."

Ryoko just stares at the boy in front of her. Figures she got the sharpest tool in the shed. The good news is that makes things easier. The bad news is if someone from the space finds out, she'll be in even worse trouble.

Then again, she could just grab the boy and his sister and run for it. The two would probably prefer it. Then again, they _are_ close to their family. Geez, this boy _has_ to make things difficult for her, doesn't he?

"Close," Ryoko admits, "Actually Ryo-Ohki is one of the few and very rare Living Starships. She's actually very much alive and is female when in her organic form. Otherwise, she appears as a ship made of crystals."

Tenchi blinks at hearing that, "Huh. Never would have actually guessed that one. Though the fact you need the gems should have been an obvious clue, right."

Shrugging, "You'll be surprised handsome, trust me on that one."

"Oh I do," Tenchi nods, before looking Ryoko in the eye, "Which is why I'm not letting you have them back any time soon."

Ryoko sighs and here she was hoping it would be easy, "Look, I'm getting those jewels, whether you like it or not, agree with it or not," she steps forward, arms crossed over her chest as she stands straight, making it clear that she's ready to just take them.

Tenchi steps back, hands going over the Tenchi-ken and Hinata-bo, "No way at this time."

Ryoko standing less than an arm's length away, "Yes way right now."

"You seem to misunderstand Ryoko," Tenchi doesn't flinch at how close she is as she steps forward a little more, "Given the havoc you caused tonight, especially blowing up my school, whether an accident or not, doesn't mean I'm going to let you off the hook easily. And that's before you consider you're in an region that's been able to avoid the destructive chaos around it from the fallout of the last war."

Suddenly Ryoko grabs him by the collar and pulls Tenchi in close, "You sure about that? Because the next demon that is coming at us right now is even worse and trust me on that one too."

Frowning, Tenchi recalls no mention of a third demon in the legends, "What do you mean?"

"Just give me the sword and staff," Ryoko orders instead of answering, "I want them and I want them now."

Ryoko reaches for the sword first and the two began struggling. Tenchi pulls back, trying to keep the sword out of her hands, while Ryoko reaches for it. She manages to get her hand on it, but Tenchi manages to twist it away before anything can happen. Then Ryoko uses her foot to forcibly slide one of Tenchi's legs out from under him as he leans forward to defend the sword from her grasp.

Off balance and overstretched, Ryoko easily shoves Tenchi to his bed and then tackles him after he lands. Immediately she reaches for the hand that has the sword, the Hinata-bo laying on the floor after it fell free. Tenchi manages to turn himself over in their struggles, but Ryoko then traps up by straddling him, revealing she wanted him to turn over, allowing her greater strength to trap him more efficiently as he can't get his legs positioned to give him more leverage nor can he position his arms to do so either, let alone hide the sword beneath his body.

Of course, that is when Tenchi spins his namesake sword in his hand and lets it touch Ryoko's hand.

Ryoko blinks at the sudden change, but she still grabs for it with her other free hand. That turns out to be a mistake. For when she grips the Tenchi-ken, the sword pulses with blue electricity.

"Forgot about that," Ryoko manages out just before the charge up flares into a bright, blue light that shoots her across the room.

As the Tenchi-ken flips in the air, Tenchi grabs it easily enough as Ryoko curses from where she hit the door. Striding over with a grin like the cat caught the canary, which would be ironic in several ways for this instance in his life, Tenchi leans over Ryoko.

"Just as I remembered," Tenchi states to the surprise and suddenly not in control Ryoko, "You can't touch the sword for some reason.

The almost innocent look she's now giving indicates how true that is. And unfortunately for Ryoko, Tenchi once more holds up her obi causing her to blink and look down before letting out a rather cute squeak and close her now open dress again.

With a sigh, both wonder if that is going to become a common theme in their interactions.

"Still, I've got the sword and your gems," Tenchi says and Ryoko realizes just how powerless she is a the moment.

"So…" Ryoko internally cringes at sounding so powerless, but can't help it, "What do you plan to do?"

 **XXXX**

Down stairs, Masaki Nobuyuki had been ignoring some sounds coming from Tenchi's second floor room. It hadn't been too loud and honestly, nothing major. But then he heard Tenchi's door rattle and the ceiling shook. Plus there was a strange sound. It was familiar in a way, but he just couldn't place his finger on it.

So, when the dust stopped falling and wouldn't get in his tea, he decided to have a look see at what his nephew is up too.

"Hey, be quiet!" he yells up the stairs before heading up them, "What's going on up there, Tenchi?"

Muttering to himself, "These kids these days, I tell you I don't know what to do with them," he approaches Tenchi's door, noting it to be slightly ajar and so Nobuyuki takes a look inside, "Oh by the Goddess herself!"

For there, on her bottom is a girl or young woman with cyan colored hair and an outfit that is barely being held closed while Tenchi stands across from her with something in both hands each, in the left, a black obi and then in the right, he can't see at the moment. Still, _this_ is a major development that has occurred. One he wasn't expecting and could go a long way in explaining why he was late getting home.

' _And here I worried about him being too shy with the fairer sex,'_ Nobuyuki thinks as he observes the situation in front him, though strangely, something about the woman is familiar, though he can't place his finger on it, ' _Still, now here he's gone and snuck one into his room and they've even started, though I hope he remembers our guest that he himself brought over, though I wonder if a threesome might happen."_

 **XXXX**

Down in the guest baths, Hinata suddenly feels the desire to cause her uncle physical harm while Villetta suddenly sneezes.

 **XXXX**

' _Now if I were his grandmother or aunt, I would find some excuse to barge in on them,'_ Nobuyuki continues to think, not realizing the danger he could be potentially in, ' _But… As his uncle it is my duty to respect his privacy.'_

And with that thought completed, Nobuyuki turns and quietly hurries away to take care of something else.

 **XXXX**

Ryoko sighs and knows full well that she'll have to resort to almost begging. She can salvage some pride by twisting the truth a little. Not like she would be lying either. After all, she is very certain that this feeling, it's _her_ of all people.

The only upside, is that it is at least not her grandmother.

Now that's one granny Ryoko never fancied herself meeting if she can help it!

So, putting on her best look she could muster without selling out her pride, she turns to Tenchi, eyes shimmering with unshed tears and begins immediately.

"Please," she begs in a low, gentle tone, "return them to me, I'm begging you."

Tenchi shifts a little. He's always been a sucker for those Puppy Dog Eyes. Plus, he could only turn down a woman who made it clear she ain't no woman and you knows full well that his grandfather would put him under a waterfall for a month, with Hinata standing guard, to cleanse him of the types of words and terms he would use.

"Well…" he begins, figuring this has to be a trick on her part. She doesn't seem the kind to just give up after something so simple, "I can't really do that."

Ryoko then gets up on her knees, purposely ignoring her now lack of modesty, if not for those pink bowtie panties of hers, as she gently takes hold of Tenchi's shirt at his sides, "Please I'm begging you," and by this point, she is willing to forgo pride and beg.

Heck, if Tenchi wants a wild night, she'll give to him and return him once _she_ had left the area.

"Okay, alright," Tenchi manages to at least reconnect Ryoko's collar, how did her whole outfit come undone? "But what has you going from fake begging to actually begging anyways?"

With a sigh, she should have known. The two were alike in that way. Running from a past they would rather forget. Honestly, the fun filled days of pirating were actually way behind her now. The memories of good times with Ryo-Ohki soiled and spoiled by _him_.

If she would tell Tenchi the truth, she would admit that being imprisoned for several hundred years was actually a very good thing for her. She now has a very good running head start. Hopefully enough to grow old enough to be of no use or that _he_ had long since died and is forgotten in some corner somewhere, never to cause her fear or…

"Hey, hey!" Tenchi pulls Ryoko into a hug, surprising her, "It's alright," he says, gentle hand motions on her back, "You're safe now, okay? It's safe."

Ryoko hadn't realized her desperateness had leaked out. Burying her face into Tenchi's shoulder at the crook of his neck, she sighs even as a few tears leak out.

"Her name is Ayeka and while I was…" pausing for a moment to let a shudder pass through her and feeling Tenchi's grip tighten, yeah, he would see through her. They were a lot alike after all. She can trust him and knows it. Why else would she be so playful with him?

Well… The earlier episode aside after all.

"I was not myself," Ryoko actually holds onto Tenchi, her grip tight, but not too tight as she remembers the bits and pieces, "He had control of me. I couldn't stop it. I… I… I don't remember much. Bits and pieces at times. I was a berserker, no control over myself. I murdered for him at his command. A marionette for him to use as he pleased. I was forced to go to the planet Jurai. I can't remember everything. A few pieces here and there. Mostly when Ayeka counterattacked me. His control was almost severed, something… happened. I don't know what, but I took advantage and ran for it. Ryo-Ohki and I were free and we fled, but Yosho pursued."

Ryoko can't really remember that fight either. The two of them had crashed landed. She remembered that much. What had she been doing at the time?

That's right… Now she remembers.

"As the legend says, I did use my powers to take what I wanted," she shudders again, not from Tenchi rejecting her, but the living in fear she had endured, "It was just to survive though. If I used too much energy, too quickly, he would have retaken control. I would have likely done a lot worse than I did. I had always stolen to survive. So it was nothing new to me. I didn't want anything I couldn't use or eat or drink. I only took the other things to cover up how vulnerable and weak I was. I didn't want people to know I was not up to strength. That they could overpower me. At that time, I was weak enough that I could easily die by anyone's hands."

Tenchi begins to gently caress Ryoko's hair, running his hands through its cyan locks. He has to admit, it is beautiful hair. Though she could stand to take a little better care of it. Probably a holdover from her imprisonment.

"He took control, didn't he," it is not a question.

"Yosho arrived in time," Ryoko can only barely remember what had happened. Some warriors, lights, and then nothing. "I remember screaming. I recall that the last warriors to challenge me before Yosho heard me screaming not to take control again. The priests among them tried talismans, the priestesses tried pinning me to a tree. But his power took over and I could do nothing to resist. I don't remember much, just nothing for most of it, some images, more like pictures, so surreal, like I wasn't in my own body."

"Then Yosho."

"Then Yosho," Ryoko admits, "I only really recall everything when he stuck the Tenchi-ken's blue blade through my neck. I don't know how I'm alive. I know I wounded him. I recall his face had a thick stripe of blood on it from a head wound and there was a massive patch of blood on his left side. I think I broke one of his legs too, as he was kneeling down, holding me up on the Tenchi-ken. His skill and power was formidable unhurt… I should be dead. Instead I survived, imprisoned for roughly seven hundred years on the dot. During that time, what little power I had left in my remaining gems allowed me to astral project eventually. Some people would see me and talk to me. But I was generally alone. All alone for those seven centuries. Then…"

"Then we came."

"Yes," Ryoko admits, "I was… Just angry. I thought I was rejected. That's why I attacked. I never actually wanted to hurt you. I just… I just…" Tenchi leans back, nearly breaking the hug and places a finger on Ryoko's lips.

"Shush," Tenchi tells her, "It's over now. If she comes, I will make it clear she holds no power here. Even if I have to _invoke_ that name, I will."

Ryoko gasps at hearing Tenchi's words, "No!" she hisses angrily, "You mustn't! Not ever! You two built yourself peaceful lives. For everything I would do, that is not one thing I would ever do!"

"Then just give you the gems and let you go?" Tenchi asks with a small smile.

"YES!" Ryoko states, "She's like a devil Tenchi! When she's angered, she doesn't think straight at times. It's one of her weaknesses. She's going to fire at you, regardless if you try to explain anything to her!"

 **XXXX**

On the bridge of her ship, Ryu-oh, Princess Ayeka sneezes. Looking left and right in some confusion and embarrassment, she notes only her two servants present and that's all.

Still… Where is her little sister? Sasami came aboard long ago. Her ship had vanished mysteriously. Somehow, she convinced Ayeka to let her stay. At the time, she had little recourse. They had found debris from both Funaho and Ryo-Ohki. If they had parted, they could have lost the trail. Forever.

Well… No matter. Sasami is a smart girl. She'll stay out of the way.

"Begin the capture process as soon as we arrive," Princess Ayeka begins her orders, "And you must refrain from firing."

"Yes ma'am," Kamidake confirms the orders.

"Additionally, be sure to record all data on that strange energy we have been detecting," the purple haired teenage girl orders as well, "We will turn it over to Empress Funaho upon our return to Jurai and let Intelligence and the Galaxy Police handle the matter thereafter."

"Yes my princess," Azaka confirms and then notes their course, bearing, and time to destination, "We will soon arrive at our destination," the servant confirms, high pitched alarms sounding alert status in the process even as holographic images of their destination, right down to the Masaki Residence, appears overlaying the view of planet Earth.

 **XXXX**

"Well…" Tenchi scratches the back of his head as he thinks this one over, "That's going to be a problem."

"Ye-yup," Ryoko nods, knowing she now has Tenchi on her side as the two sit together against his bed. "Look, not to keep pushing the matter, but we need to wake Ryo-Ohki now."

With a sigh, Tenchi picks up the Hinata-bo and looks it over, "If it comes to a fight?"

Ryoko hums briefly before nodding at her decision, "Then we run away. Something I'm good at and I can take you, your sister, and your home along with me. Simple really."

"Uh-huh," Tenchi sighs, before standing up and taking his shirt off, much to Ryoko's surprise, as he reaches into closet and begins looking for something, "Going to need to change. Just in case I can go to school normally."

Only he stops when he feels Ryoko embrace him from behind and he notes, she has her top open again. Heck her whole dress is open!

"Ten~chi," she purrs his name out, "Do you really think you'll ever have a normal life after this night?" One hand goes very low on Tenchi's body, "Perhaps I still want some family jewels and the sword they are attached too."

Right. He forgot. Some sort of galaxy wanted criminal. But he gets the feeling those days are now long behind her if she can help it.

 **XXXX**

Outside Tenchi's room and outside of the whole house for that matter… Nobuyuki has a digital recorder mounted over his shoulder as he records the events happening in Tenchi's room as he stands atop a ladder and he peeks through the small open space beneath Tenchi's blinds and above the window sill.

It's a small gap, though long, but a gap nonetheless that he can see and record through.

' _Yes, it may be my duty to respect his privacy,'_ Nobuyuki thinks to himself, ' _but it is also my duty as his uncle to record my nephew's development in sex, I mean life! Yes, life!'_ the man mentally 'corrects' himself, ' _Oh my beloved wife, you should see how our nephew has grown!'_

Suddenly hearing a sound that is _very_ familiar and looking up, he sees the underside of Ryu-oh coming to a stop just above his home. From his position beneath it, looks very much more like a dragon.

Suffering a notable panic attack, Nobuyuki can only think to himself, ' _Honey, is that_ you _?!'_

While up in Ryu-Oh, Princess Ayeka is unaware of the panicked Nobuyuki as searchlights scan the immediate area of the ship and given its size and mass, that's a lot of area in its immediate vicinity.

" _Ryoko! Come out!"_

She orders, completely unaware of three Knightpolice on patrol with a police cruiser in the aftermath of the school explosion and fire.

All four police units stop and stare up in disbelief. Then the senior officer in the cruiser is on the radio reporting the unknown airship above them. The dispatch is disbelieving until one of the Knightpolice snap a grainy image from the jamming Ryu-Oh is putting out to avoid detection.

Once they have it, Dispatch sends it up the ladder with a CRITIC stamp on it. In mere minutes the entire thing is being reported by multiple citizens and other police units. The governor is alerted and he demands to know why they weren't informed of an intruder until it brazenly revealed itself.

At the nearby military fortress, charged with overseeing the region's air defense, the unpopular fortress commander is pursuing some of his 'duties,' though the Japanese young woman would disagree on that front.

While in the command room, the night shift officers are grumbling about not having any fighters at the ready and that they don't have the up to date Comm Codes and IFFs installed, simply because the base commander doesn't want to be disturbed right now.

Well… An angry call later and the base commander finds himself and his personal goon squad stripped of rank and privileged and on the first transport to Tokyo to face a tribunal over the incursion into Area 11's air space.

But that would be happening over time, as such things _do_ take time.

Instead, the local garrison, police, and even the governor's personal guard scramble to form a coherent defense and isolate the lone airship that is now brazenly above their territory.

While, back at the Masaki Residence, Ryoko is decent again as she phases through the window, scaring Nobuyuki half to death as he tumbles off the ladder, clutching his camera to his chest as he hits the ground as Tenchi raises his blinds to see outside himself.

"Damn," Ryoko states with annoyed look on her face as she stares up at the underside of the Juraian ship, "I knew it, she's here already."

"Huh? HUH!" Tenchi looks up to see the ship himself, "Can she _even_ do that?!"

"Legally, no," Ryoko supplies, "But I did say when she gets her temper up, she doesn't think straight."

"No kidding," Tenchi sighs, "She's going to start a war at this rate."

"Dammit," Ryoko agrees.

 **XXXX**

Back up in her ship, Princess Ayeka stares down, her watermelon colored eyes looking for her hidden prey, "Ryoko! Ryoko! You must come out! I know you are in there! You cannot get away from me now."

Shifting her attention and lowering her voice, "Are you sure this is even on?" given all they see is the house and Nobuyuki with his camera.

"Yes ma'am," Azaka confirms from his place with a whisper.

"Well then, what is she doing?" Princess Ayeka isn't the only one confused. Even her servants and Sasami, who is observing from a hiding place, are also confused given how poorly defended this residence is and its general location doesn't equate much for Ryoko.

There isn't even an underground passage nor a teleporter for her to make good her escape.

"Oh never mind," she decides, especially as she blinks to keep her eyes open, because she may have slept a very long time, it was in suspended animation, not actual sleep and she's feeling the need to actually sleep, "I want you to fire a shot nearby."

"I thought we were supposed to refrain from violence," Azaka points out her previous orders causing Princess Ayeka to develop an embarrassed look as she remembers her order before countering.

"That is an order," she states and a weapons array slides out of its position on the lower hull and fires a single low level, air burst energy bolt of yellow light that breaks every window within an eight kilometer radius and sends out a shockwave that is visible against the glow of the blast.

Down below, even as the officers on foot pick themselves up, the Knightpolice open fire when a few rookies just starting shooting skyward at the airship, kicking off a battle.

Meanwhile, Tenchi finds himself somehow faceplanted into Ryoko's melons.

Hey!

If she can thrown around words, so can he!

"I take it that wasn't legal either?" the muffled question brings to mind the idea of asking a galaxy wanted criminal about things legal and illegal is supposed to make no sense.

"Yeah, that is a little too illegal even for her to get away with," Ryoko agrees with a sigh, somehow knowing that it will be her who gets the blame… Again. Like on Monson Prime. "Honestly, you'd think after several hundred years, she would grow out of it."

"But no, right?" Tenchi sighs as he can hear his sister screaming and Dame Nu cursing somewhere in the house as he pulls himself to his feet and helps up Ryoko, earning a thank you from her.

"Well, we better call in Ryo-Ohki," Ryoko hates being the broken record, but seriously!

This could have been avoided.

"Fine," Tenchi holds up the sword and staff, "How does this work?"

"Just point the pommel towards me and pray to have the jewels returned," Ryoko explains as she figures they got several minutes before the next warning shot or the appearance of company. "That simple."

"Okay," Tenchi resigns himself to this, but still… He realizes how simple it sounds as he aims the pommel towards Ryoko.

Ryoko closes her eyes as Tenchi does the same and focuses on receiving her gems back. So neither note only one gem is glowing and only one spot, on Ryoko's left wrist shines, before the Tenchi-ken suddenly has only two jewels in its pommel.

When Ryoko opens her eyes, expecting all four of her jewels returned, she's stunned and angered only to find one.

"What th' hell is th's?!" that Osaka accent is back, "You only gave me one jewel!"

"You really think I'm that much of an idiot?" Tenchi deadpans with a flat look, causing Ryoko to suddenly lose her thunder, "You got a lot of work ahead of you, so don't think you're getting away that easily."

Turning to face away from Tenchi and laughing in a way that is totally fake, "Ah-hahaha, that's okay," she manages out.

Can't she catch a break already?!

"Ryo-Ohki," Tenchi reminds her.

"R-right!" Ryoko responds.

Bring her left arm up over her head and letting the power of her newly returned jewel flow through her, Ryoko lower her left hand downward, just before the center of her chest. Then crossing her right hand, palm against palm, over her left hand, she allows a small charge to develop before separating her hands and turning them, fingers spraying to form a small area before her. Light suddenly emerges from her newly returned jewel as a ball of energy forms between her hands.

 _Come Ryo-Ohki._

 **XXXX**

All the way back at the Masaki Shrine, in the lake before the foot of the hill it sits upon, the water stirs as light appears within its depths.

 _Awaken._

Ripples form at the point of the light. Splashing harmlessly against the shoreline.

 _Awaken!_

Suddenly the ground shakes as leaves and loose grass and earth begin to levitate upwards, rather than fall downwards. The ripples now becoming small waves that splash, throwing up water against the shoreline.

 **XXXX**

In Ryo-Ohki's control room, blue crystals shaped like long diamonds are crisscrossed with energy before levitating as a deep _Meow_ fills the air. Then suddenly with a burst of purpose, the crystals spin around a central dome set upon floating disks with an outer ring before stopping in mid air, pulsating back and forth with some glowing red.

 _Me~ow._

The water boils and froths as waves crash upon the shoreline. Animals scurry and flee the center of devastation.

 _Me~owoh!_

Suddenly, it all stops. Peace seems to return. Instead, the water begins to glow bright red at the point of the disturbance.

An image of Ryoko appears within the mind of the living ship.

 _Come!_

Rising up from the depths, breaking roots and shifting sediment. Rocks and boulders that have piled up, nearly a thousand years worth of debris and deliberate attempts to keep Ryo-Ohki on the bottom are tossed to the side. Great chains fastened at some time in the distance past, snap and break, falling to the lake bottom as Ryo-Ohki rises up, pulsating with red light.

 _Me~ow!_

Breaking the surface with an explosion of displaced water and excess energy, Ryo-Ohki rockets off into the evening sky at high speeds, destination, her mistress.

 _Me~oooooowwwww!_

 **XXXX**

"FIRE!" the rocket battery commander orders and Ryu-Oh is soon pelted by the ordnance.

 **XXXX**

"Oh my, this is most unsettling," Azaka states matter of factly.

"We appear to have underestimated the situation on this planet Princess Ayeka," Kamidake agrees.

"Oh my," Princess Ayeka covers her mouth as she watches the torrent of weapons fire being directed at her ship, "It would appear so. We must not let our mistake affect the people of this region. Intercept as required, otherwise, unless a danger, let our shields take care of most of the danger. Extend them enough as well and alter their position to cause the explosions and debris to be angled away from people and their homes."

"Yes ma'am," both servants set to work as Princess Ayeka wonders how she will explain this to her parents and Empress Funaho, let alone her grandmother, which alones makes her shudder.

She does not know which will be worse: Her mother or grandmother?

Beginning deep scans of the residence now, to locate Ryoko and hurry this matter along. Quickly, Ryoko is spotted with a single lone male in a room on the second floor. Two other females are noted to be scrambling for the room in somewhat disarray. The other male, noted earlier, is still laid out on the ground.

Why does that particular male look familiar to Ayeka?

She doesn't recognize him, but he does bear some bearing to her father perhaps? Eh. No matter.

Suddenly, one of the holograms change to show multiple sensor readings overlaid before another window opens to show Ryo-Ohki burning sky in their direction.

"Ryo-Ohki is here," Azaka states.

Princess Ayeka feels energy surge through her at the sight of that vessel.

"There you are you heinous criminal Battleship!" Princess Ayeka glares at the vessel that had caused so much grief and death to her people and countless others, "Attack that Battleship! Attack it now!"

 **XXXX**

A loader passing and placing 40mm rounds in his crew's gun turns around to receive more ammunition when he spots it.

"Incoming unknown airship from the northwest!"

He shouts and the gun team traverses their turret around as the battery commander reports the second unknown fast approaching.

Despite her high speed, nevertheless, Ryo-Ohki comes under sustained fire from the Britannian defenders before Ryu-Oh can deploy all of its weapons.

 **XXXX**

Bursting through the Britannian anti-air barrage, Ryo-Ohki flies low over the city, shields up and at full strength. She does not return fire. Instead, simply shrugging off the gunfire as the first fighters finally arrive and begin a missile strike on both ships.

Ryu-Oh's entire ventral battery is deployed and charged. The power of the shots are still kept low and some guns still fend off Britannian ordnance being tossed at both ships. Ryu-Oh is undisturbed as it begins firing upon Ryo-Ohki, who absorbs or defeats the attacks from the Juraian ship.

Ryo-Ohki soon enters a parked placement above the Misaki Residence. Once there, the crystal like ship, shaped like an inverted clawed stand, glows red with a blue circle before a light bursts down upon the Masaki residence. Bordered in visible black lines, an inversion of energy happens and the home and its grounds glows a bright light blue light before vanishing into a ball and disappearing.

 **XXXX**

"Lord Governor!" the communications officer shouts up to his lord who turns to him, "Reports have come in that the Masaki Residence has been destroyed!"

"What?!" the man looks on in horror as imagery of the Masaki Residence disappearing without a trace is replayed.

"Can we fight such power?" one officer inquires.

"We have to!" another declares, "We must hit them with everything!"

"Our own Air Fleet has arrived!" a radar tech reports, causing a cheer to go up.

 **XXXX**

"Targets are holding position on Course Niner-Four-Five by Blue Romero," the flagship's sensor officer reports to the fleet commander.

"Very well," the man nods, turning to the candidate for Knight of Round for what had previously been a training exercise against the Knight of Two, "Your orders Dame Krushevsky?"

"Utilize Defensive Stance Green Claw Seven!" Dame Monica Krushevsky orders, though a good strategy, she needs to calm down a little in the senior officers' opinion as her voice hitches on giving the order, though she coughs to clear her throat and though her cheeks burn with embarrassment, she maintains her composure for the most part.

"Assume Green Claw Seven Formation!" the fleet commander orders.

The fleet of seventeen ships takes up the formation, looking like a claw held back, but ready to pounce. It is mostly an offensive defensive technique, allowing the fleet to take defensive action against an unknown enemy, which is exactly what they are facing, before shifting into an offensive position or taking more easily to a more dedicated defensive posture.

Orders then are issued for the tactical stations and soon, the fleet's weapons begin adding to the torrent of fire.

"Enemy is ascending," sensor station reports, "The hell?!" the shocked shout surprises the command crew, "What the hell kind of airships are we up against?! They just keep climbing at speeds in excess of Mach 4 and rising!"

"The... hell?" the fleet commander watches the ships disappear into the night sky above. "Were those even airships to begin with?"

Dame Krushevsky turns to communications, "Priority transmission to the Knight of Two with a recommended CRITIC to the Emperor immediately!"

"Yes ma'am!" the officer replies to send off the report and request.

 **XXXX**

 **Minutes earlier…**

 **XXXX**

"Tenchi!" Hinata bursts into the boy's room, clad only in a towel and holding clothes in her arms as she crashes into the boy, losing some of the articles and wrapping her arms around him, "What is going on?!"

"Boy what is happening!?" Dame Villetta Nu shouts as she stumbles into Tenchi's room, having at least gotten something on as she struggles to get ready for the fight happening around them.

"Time to go!" Ryoko shouts, drawing attention to her just as everything turns yellow and the four vanish from Tenchi's room.

They then reappear in Ryo-Ohki's control room.

Ryoko lands easily enough, having been doing that for more than a few centuries prior to her final defeat at Yosho's hands. Tenchi, especially with Hinata holding onto him, falls onto his side, turning to keep Hinata from landing under him. He also manages to reach out and pull Dame Nu to him, using his own body to cushion the fall for the woman and girl.

"OWW!" he lands painfully alright. Especially with Villetta's elbow in his chest, "That hurts."

"Sorry," the woman replies, getting up and helping Tenchi and Hinata to their feet. Then looking around, she just says it, "What the hell is happening here?! Where are we!?"

"It's a short story with long history," Tenchi states immediately.

"Okay Ryo-Ohki!" Ryoko's shout draw the three's attention, "Let's make our getaway!"

The three then stumble and fall as Ryo-Ohki doesn't shift enough power to inertial dampening and maintains the usual level that Ryoko is used to and can easily handle, but quickly corrects herself for her new passengers.

 **XXXX**

Outside, Ryo-Ohki glows red before increasing speed and moving off from her stationary point. She begins to rocket away, under heavy fire from the Britannian forces and Ryu-Oh who is also under sustained fire and despite its best efforts, explosions and debris tear up homes in the local neighborhoods as police and the local garrison guide people to safety.

Ryu-Oh begins pursuing and the further it gets away from the ground, the more intense and powerful its shots become.

Though unknown to Ryoko, Ryu-Oh isn't entirely missing because of how good Ryo-Ohki, who just woke up, is.

 **XXXX**

"Yes!" Ryoko bathes in the excitement of the moment, "This is the feeling!" letting out a happy sound, "It is good to be moving so freely again."

"Ten-chi," Hinata grips her brother's blue shirt he is wearing, "Who is that woman?"

With a sigh, Tenchi explains, "It's the Demon Ryoko we woke back up last week," he can feel Hinata stiffen against him, but Tenchi slides the Hinata-bo, with its new jewel, into her hands and that seems to calm her, "She's actually some criminal from space, though not all of her crimes were by choice or voluntary action, but that aside, yeah. I think she was a space pirate if I had to guess from the fact she has a ship and a royal star cruiser chasing her right now."

Villetta just blinks from where she stands behind Hinata.

"Like I said earlier, short story with long history," Tenchi informs Villetta and the woman shakes her head at the absurdity of her situation.

"Tenchi," Hinata suddenly points, "Our house."

"Sorry," Ryoko apologizes, perhaps a little too quickly, "I didn't have time to worry about it, so I shrank it and brought it along with us, if that's okay."

Tenchi and Hinata did not know how to respond to that.

"Isn't that your uncle?" Villetta notes Masaki Nobuyuki next to his camera and ladder.

Tenchi doesn't even say one word, as he can guess what the pervert was up to.

At that moment, Ryo-Ohki is struck by a heavy beam. The living ship is rocked on her center axis and shakes violently enough to toss Villetta off her feet, despite her own training to fight from and aboard airships.

Through their shared mental connection, Ryoko can see the damage reports come in. Overall, the shields are down to 40 percent and are not recharging all the great, if at all. The main hull had taken 32 percent armor loss over the area it had been hit. That armor protection of that area, had been reduced by almost 62 percent. Armor regeneration was also not working.

Overall, that had to be the hit Ryo-Ohki should have never taken. Though, honestly, she has taken worse. Unfortunately, she has also just only woken up after seven centuries of sleep. As such, she just isn't up to her normal standards right now.

Whereas Ryu-Oh is.

A rapid fire bolt then hits, shaking Ryo-Ohki and nearly penetrating on the edge of the weakened area.

"Damn that girl!" Ryoko growls angrily, before twisting and issuing orders, and enforcing them when Ryo-Ohki argues back, "Fire when ready!" Ryoko shouts with a swipe of her left hand.

 **XXXX**

"Intense energy build up detected," Azaka states immediately.

"Focusing and reinforcing forward shields," Kamidake reports.

Shaking her head, "Really now, Ryoko? How amateurish," Princess Ayeka decides that Ryoko has gotten rusty as she smirks just before…

"Uh-oh," both of her servants stereo.

Blinking in response, "Huh?"

 **XXXX**

Ryo-Ohki reorients herself to aim her ventral crystal spire at Ryu-Oh. Then she begins to glow red for a brief moment before rings of red surround and then expand, forming a half dome around the spire. Purple energy particles immediately collect.

Then a bolt of purple energized light shoots forth and clips Ryu-Oh along its starboard flank.

All of that, happening in less 20 seconds.

 **XXXX**

Princess Ayeka shifts her person and manages to keep her position standing upright at the head of her bridge. Though she lets out a cry of surprise as her ship shudders and shakes, the damage report is actually almost quite mild. Sure the shields have been stripped away, but the attack was woefully underpowered than what it was capable of.

Of course, that is the purview of her servants.

The princess, though, only responds with an order.

"Seal her up!"

"Yes Ma'am!" and the two servants do so, energizing the capture barrier they had left, stealthed up, in orbit and ready to teleport in and be of use.

Thus, without knowing it or realizing it, Ryoko had flown into a simple, but effective trap.

 **XXXX**

Ryoko's moment of victory is turned into horror as hears a sound she hasn't heard in a long time. The chimes of a Juraian Capture Seal. Worse yet, this one is particularly strong as she feels her connection with Ryo-Ohki cut off. So strong and sudden, that combined with the ringing chimes, gives her a mother of a physically crippling headache.

Seconds later, she feels like something is grasping her, crushing her arms and legs together while her body felt like it had been put into a vice, restraining her.

She can distantly note that Ryo-Ohki is not fairing much better as her crystals rearrange and end up becoming part of the capture seal.

 **XXXX**

"She cannot escape us," Princess Ayeka wears a determined and serious look as she orders her servants, "Azaka, Kamidake. Go, capture her."

The two strange logs suddenly glow green, revealing themselves to be the sources of the voices, "Yes Ma'am/Yes," both respond as they disappear to carry out their princess' orders.

 **XXXX**

Back aboard Ryo-Ohki, Villetta had immediately noticed the strange greenish-black log-like things that surrounded their ship. They are in two rows rotating in opposite directions and appear to be the source of the capture of the ship.

' _Is this for real?!'_ the chocolate brown skin woman thinks to herself, seeing everything. Only the blood coming from her lip, when she had bitten her tongue hard enough to draw blood, tells her it is. ' _This can't be happening! This cannot!'_

"No," she hears Ryoko manage out a warning? "Don't get near, stay back!"

" _Eoowe!"_ Tenchi suddenly cries out followed by Villetta turning in time to see him bounce on the deck.

"Guardians of Jurai," Ryoko suddenly says and Villetta turns back to see the woman being absorbed by some kind of… She doesn't know what, but she brings her pistol up to fire.

"Behind you Dame Nu!" Hinata suddenly warns and the Britannian knight barely has time to turn, let alone open fire on the 'Guardian of Jurai' that had gotten up behind her.

A scream from Hinata, even as she's being absorbed, tells Villetta that the other one is attacking the girl. Tenchi could be heard shouting for his sister in what sounds like a full blown panic attack followed by a short explosion. Then Villetta suddenly knows no more.

 **XXXX**

Now above Earth and in its orbit, safely hidden from electronic surveillance and the desperately probing sensor nets of the entire planet, Princess Ayeka enjoys her cup of tea as Ryo-Ohki sits imprisoned and tethered to Ryu-Oh beneath her.

Princess Ayeka is glad that she had the servant spheres find and remove Sasami. The Princess Ayeka knows this may go unpleasant and she does not want Sasami, at that impressionable age, to see what she is willing to do to her long time rival. It has been a long time coming as well, at first just the two them, the princess' guardians, and whatever ship with whatever crew she happened to have at the time.

Which is why Princess Ayeka felt exuberant at getting Ryu-Oh. Several centuries ago, the idea that she would have her own ship that would allow her to face Ryoko on more even terms filled her with such joy. Even Yosho had to admit, along with her father, the Emperor, that she was now better protected.

Then came _that_ day.

And with _that_ thought, her teacup finds itself resting on the table before Princess Ayeka.

"It has been a while, hasn't Ryoko," it is a statement of fact, "I have been looking for you for quite some time."

Suspended upside down between the two Guardians, Ryoko keeps her eyes close, face neutral, and head turned.

Rising up, having expected the response and knowing that just going straight to the heart of the matter would only increase her blood pressure, Princess Ayeka treks over to where Ryoko and her Guardians.

"I have a question for you Ryoko," stopping before Ryoko and holding up Tenchi-Ken and Hinata-Bo, "Tell me… Why did those Earthlings have these Juraian weapons with them?"

Ryoko remains silent on the matter, not even twitching, though deep down, she is near to having a panic attack for those two.

Damn weakness!

"Answer me!" Princess Ayeka orders and Ryoko decides to dodge the question and give a cocky look that she knows will infuriate the princess before her.

And it works as the expected response is there. The Princess Ayeka making a noise of pure annoyance that only Ryoko could get out of her when riled. If not for their rivalry and different lives, they might have been friends, Ryoko had thought more than once. The two could be so alike, it is something of a laugh to the ex-Space Pirate.

Then, naturally, comes the energy surge meant to torture her from the two Guardians restraining her. Naturally it has the opposite effect. She first feels tickled and as it goes on, she does feel some arousement from it. Ryoko is enjoying it so much, she fails to see the look that her responses have solicited from the princess before her.

Maintaining all the poise and dignity she can, though her obvious reaction causes her hair to bounce, Princess Ayeka orders, "Enough," then taking stock, "This seems to have an opposite effect on you. You're behaving like," a blush forms on the princess' cheeks at the mere thought, "What is that called?"

"A masochist?" Kamidake supplies.

"Ah yes," the princess nods, "That is what they are called."

"Actually Little Princess, I'm more of a sadist," Ryoko supplies to the Juraian royal, even though she has returned to her previous look, though with her head turned in the opposite direction now, though she does feel somewhat insulted, but secretly happy they got sidetracked.

"Oh my," Princess Ayeka brings her hand up to her cheek, her face a full crimson, "Does that mean you-" suddenly it dawns on her, that they are not gathered to discuss Ryoko's sexual habits and personality quirks, "Nevermind! That's completely unimportant!" happy to remove herself from that discussion before it goes any further.

Though she shows confidence and bravado, Ryoko can't help but worry.

"I'll ask you again," Princess Ayeka steps forward to Ryoko, getting into arm's reach, "Why did those Earthlings have these Juraian weapons?"

' _Dammit, this is going to_ hurt _,'_ Ryoko thinks before speaking, "Bonehead!"

Flabbergasted at the response, "What?!" is all Princess Ayeka is able to get out.

"Can't you feel it in their blood?" Ryoko responds.

"You're not making any sense," Princess Ayeka counters, clutching the weapons tighter in her hands. "Now answer the question!"

"The sword and staff belong to them!" Ryoko shouts back.

Taken back, both mentally and physically, Princess Ayeka steps forward again, "Don't be ridiculous!" Placing a hand over her chest, "You know full well that the sword alone belongs to my brother! Now where is he? Where is my brother Yosho?!"

Seeing the tears at the corners of Ayeka's eyes and remembering Tenchi and Hinata, Ryoko let's out a sigh.

It's still going to hurt.

"In all likelihood," Ryoko begins, surprising both the princess and her guardians, with her somber attitude, "Dead."

Princess Ayeka makes a sound, a strangled sound that can't be put into words.

"I honestly don't remember that fight all too well," Ryoko begins, once more remembering what she cannot remember, "Tenchi got me to somewhat open up earlier. Fear has a way of doing that to a person, even me. What I can remember, is that Yosho won and I lost. Next thing I know I'm in a then newly made cavern, where I've been for the last several hundred years. A prisoner."

In an ironic way, both Guardians of Jurai note, Ryoko still ended up jailed.

"No," Princess Ayeka says, not believing it, not one bit, "It is a lie!" it has to be, for Ryoko said 'Tenchi,' the sword of her brother, "My brother's disappearance started because of you!"

Making a small sound of dismal bemusement, Ryoko responds, "I'd make a few cracks here about your family being bored, Yosho being your half-brother, and such, but I've had a _lot_ of time to recently think things over," then she stops to think for a moment, "Plus the several hundred years, which is a _long_ time when you're trapped."

Ryoko fails to note the sudden change in the princess' appearance.

"If you want to know more or the why," Ryoko continues, "Take it up with the ma-AAAHHHHH!"

Princess Ayeka jabs the pommel of the Tenchi-ken into Ryoko's midsection. Ryoko didn't notice until she felt the energy going through her. The surging energy, causing Ryoko to glow blue as she feels real pain. Immediately, the cyan haired ex-Space Pirate begins screaming for Princess Ayeka to stop. The two Guardians merely and quietly observing, not taking any position to stop their princess. Princess Ayeka had a look of someone pushed completely to a calm and rational thought version of refined anger.

" _Oh Please!"_ Ryoko begs, this is worse, " _You can stop now! By the Grace of Goddess Tsunami! I beg you Ayeka! I mean it! It wasn't me! That's the truth! It was_ him _! It had always been_ him _! I was just the puppet! Please stop it! It hurts! It really hurts! I tried to hide! But I couldn't!_ He _found me! It was_ Yosho _who_ set _me_ free!"

Blinking at that last statement, Princess Ayeka withdraws the sword from Ryoko's gut. Ryoko shudders and convulses as the energy passes through her and out. Maybe she should have jerked the princess' chain. It would have been a lot less painful. Even if she got the Tenchi-ken still put into her, it would have been a lot shorter.

"Now answer my questions," Princess Ayeka forces that statement to the side and chooses to continue to interrogate the woman before her.

Steaming, with smoke still wafting off her, Ryoko manages out between gasps, "Tenchi will know more than I do. Go talk to him," Ryoko knows the boy would fair better than Hinata.

Holding the Tenchi-ken still high, at her eye level, Princess Ayeka becomes confused and a bit worried she had overdone it, "Why would this sword know the whereabouts of my brother?"

Then it clicks in Ryoko's head. She had forgotten about that. Both siblings shared their names with their weapons.

"Oh yeah, I forgot," Ryoko manages to speak normally, if a bit low because of her screaming, "Both weapons are also called Tenchi and Hinata, like the two Earthling siblings that you caught me with, though I don't know who the woman is," Ryoko manages a shrug in her position, "I think she might have been some bystander who got caught up in this."

Thinking on the chocolate brown skin woman, "That last one is troubling," but Princess Ayeka's eyes had widen as she finishes processing what Ryoko had said about the boy and girl they had captured as well, who are also named Tenchi and Hinata, "My goodness. What a coincidence."

Ryoko opens her eyes and looks up at Princess Ayeka, "No it isn't," she states, more than a little peeved.

Before anything more can be said, two of the servant spheres suddenly appear from around a tree and approach the quartet in the small, open pasture.

One stops and hovers next to Princess Ayeka before speaking, "Princess Ayeka, it is time for bed," the feminine voice states.

Turning to it, Princess Ayeka speaks back, "Later. I am busy," then she orders, "Now go away."

In defiance, the servant sphere responds, "I cannot allow that. The Second Empress has given me strict orders."

Princess Ayeka knows it is no use after hearing that. Surrendering without a second thought, "Oh very well," before turning and angrily ordering her Guardians, "And take her off to jail!"

Getting in one last, parting shot, "Bedtime, Little Princess," Ryoko _so_ pokes fun, "Sweet dreams."

The Princess Ayeka only brings her hands up, before tossing them down, making a very annoyed sound as she huffs, once more riled up by Ryoko's attitude and ability to get at her, before turning and walking away, even as Ryoko is taken to one of Ryu-Oh's cells.

"Come princess, this way," the servant sphere shows Princess Ayeka off to first the baths and then from there, to bed.

 **XXXX**

With a moan and a groan, Tenchi comes too and manages to pull himself up.

He's a little banged up. His uniform still on, having thrown his shirt back. Why did he do that again?

"Where am I?" he coughs a little, noting how he has some burn marks on his clothes and that he's sore as hell.

He then looks around himself. Before him, he appears at the center of some place, where he had been laying on grass and that trees, oddly shaped ones no less, are surrounding. He can see animals, very, very strange animals in wooden, tree like cages also in the area. Somewhere, off in the distance, he can hear a bird making noise as well. Some kind of deep pitched chirping or something?

Then it comes back to him. Ryoko, returning home, finding Ryoko in his bed, what happened in his room, everything thereafter…

"HINATA!" Tenchi shouts and looks frantically around him.

She's nowhere to be seen. The panic begins to set in, as he remembers charging the strange log that had absorbed both his sister and Ryoko. It was very brief. He had lost himself to a panic attack. So he had been easily defeated by the second one, after the first had been surprised, but had still evaded his wild and frantic attacks.

"Got to find Hinata," and then he remembers, "And Dame Nu as well," so he steps forward, only to stop, "Too easy and obvious."

Looking up at the treetops above him. He can note something out of place. Some sort of red leaf flowers.

It is there center parts, in the middle of the petals that gain his attention.

Pushing on a branch with some force, he sees the centers light up in blue and he quickly withdraws as the tree limbs adjust, moving to prevent any departure.

"Hmm?" Tenchi lets his mind do the work. His purple eyes gazing upon the trees. "Likely motion sensing and thermal too. Possibly biometric as well. This is definitely higher than anything me or Hinata have ever done," Tenchi mutters, occasionally testing a spot.

The tree branches firmly hold him. Yet each and every time, he makes greater and greater progress. To the pink shaded watermelon eyes observing him, that is surprising. But another presence takes note and reveals a secret happiness as it senses something more from the boy.

Tenchi then notes a somewhat wide enough space after being tossed back once more. With a plan in mind, he digs into his pocket and pulls out a tool he had been carrying the whole time. One of his craving blades from school. He hadn't had the chance to remove it from his pocket. So he takes the cover off and then sets up.

With a deep breath, Tenchi closes his eyes. He allows himself to re-enter his grandfather's meditative training scape. Releasing the breath, he takes another deep breath and then releases it as well. Several times, before his heart calms and his mind becomes focused.

His eyes then shoot open as his muscles, coiling the whole time, release like a spring. The energy propelling him with surprising speed and power. With a diving jump, Tenchi twists his body enough to mostly clear the small space.

Surprised, the organic jail takes a moment to react, but Tenchi's legs are still caught and he hits the wooden decking. Vines suddenly lash out, but he is able to fend them off. That is until his wrist is caught and he drops his carving tool from his hand with a curse as he's finally restrained.

Suddenly a shadow falls across Tenchi as he struggles, causing the boy to look up at what can only be described as a sweet looking young girl with teal colored hair done up in two long princess tails held in place by red ball-like clips with big, expressive watermelon pink eyes set into a cut face that still screams of being a child or perhaps eight or nine, as old as ten, that despite still having her baby fat, is beginning the road to being a womanly face, if Hinata is anything to go by.

Her clothes appear to be similar to Ryoko's clothes. Only much nicer. She is wearing a pink outfit underneath a green kimono-like overcoat with black and yellow piping. It has no sleeves and it ends in a point between her legs, about ankle high. She is also wearing a black and yellow belt to hold closed her outerwear.

Seriously… Tenchi mentally sighs that he needs to pay more attention to fashion. Then again, most fashion he is aware of is either Britannian or gaudy by anyone with any sense and sanity standards.

Well, besides the looks, there is ferret looking white creature on her arm. From how it is looking at him and the lack of a collar and leash, Tenchi can safely guess that she has long since domesticated the creature. Its two beady black eyes are looking at him with raw curiosity, showing some intelligence as well. It has long whiskers over most of its head that are thin and its underbelly is a light black color.

"What are you doing?" the girl asks him and from what Tenchi can guess she must be in the vicinity of ten or eleven years old.

Deciding, that given how she is free to move about and have a pet, she must be part of the crew… Somehow.

"I'm actually worried for my sister," Tenchi begins, usually a good place to start with girls is something that will make them nod in understanding. Personal experience after all. "So I'm trying to get away from this strange tree to go and look for her."

"Oh! Really?" she tilts her head before smiling, "You must be a real big brother to be so worried!"

Chuckling at the oddness things are becoming, Tenchi realizes he might be able to gently press for information. Like where the nearest escape pods are in correlation to his sister and Dame Nu. Number of guards. Size of the crew. And where their uncle and home is too now that he thinks about it.

"Yeah, that I am," Tenchi smiles, and realizes something first and most important, "Oh! I'm Tenchi Masaki, a pleasure to meet you," good manners are always a good opening.

"Hello Tenchi," the girl boys as the ferret pet settles on her shoulder, "I'm Sasami, Sasami Masaki Jurai."

There's a _not_ coincidence if he has ever heard one.

"So you're Sasami from Planet Sasami?" Tenchi tilts his head, the tree now trying to drag him off at the moment is a good thing.

"No you silly!" the girl exclaims with a giggle, "My big sister and I come from planet Jurai!" she trails off giggling in good mirth.

"And those log things earlier?" Tenchi scratches his head in some confusion, "Kind of weird."

Giggling, "Those aren't logs, they're our guardians, Kamidake and Azaka! They are our servants too."

"Ah, that explains things," Tenchi suddenly realizes crew count might be considerably less if this girl is anything to go by. There's no way she could have just entered a restricted zone. Especially if the older sister was aboard ship, she'd have natural command over it.

"Say," leaning in, Sasami looks Tenchi over once, "Would you like to play a game?"

And then, without even waiting for an answer, she pulls a small little device that looks like a pocket pistol without its barrel out of her kimono and suddenly it glows blue as she presses it with her thumb.

Tenchi suddenly finds himself free of the vines restricting and holding him. They even leave behind his carving knife which he retrieves, caps once more, and places back into his pocket for safety.

Can't leave sharp things out where children can get at them after all.

Then, Tenchi gives the girl a good look over, before walking in a complete circle around her.

"You sure look like one of us," the girl suddenly has a light blush on her cheeks and across the bridge of her nose as Tenchi leans in close to look her up and down. "Cute pet you have ther- WAH!" the ferret's long tongue lashes out and licks him up the face, "Okay, should have seen that one coming."

Sasami giggles.

Then Tenchi notices the design of her small remote. It is very much the same designs as…

Pulling at his shirt, checking his pockets, and feeling himself up and down, "Oh where is it?! If I lose it, I just know grandpa is going to kill me!"

"What's wrong?" Sasami asks innocently.

"Oh I had a sword like your remote, but now it's gone!" Tenchi laments as he tries to find the sword on himself, snapping his pants in midair in the hopes it would fall out comes to mind, but then he eyes present company and decides he doesn't need the issues that would arise from such an action.

But… Well…

Squatting down, "Say Sasami…" how to explain this one, "Well… I need a favor," he scratches the back of his head in nervousness, "You see, my sister, myself, a nice lady with bluish teal hair, and my uncle were all brought here by mistake," he begins explaining, "We were caught up in something we couldn't even figure out before we ended up here," bringing both hands together in front of his face, "So could you return us back home. I'll do anything you want if you do me this favor."

Sasami seems to think the request over, before answering.

"Well I'll do a favor for you if you do a favor for me," the young girl responds.

 **XXXX**

With it night time on her ship, Princess Ayeka had long since finished her bath and been dressed in her pajamas for the evening.

Now, she sits before her vanity mirror, gently combing her own hair.

But she is not paying any attention. Lost in thought with a forlorn look on her face. The interrogation of Ryoko has made her seriously doubt things and the very thought that Yosho could be truly beyond her reach…

She stops combing her head as she turns and activates the last message Yosho had sent her. She has watched it so many times in the last 700 years, she's lost count. Never bothered to keep count actually.

Yet, for her it had long since become a ritual for her.

The hologram activates, showing Yosho in all his confidence from that fateful day.

" _My darling Ayeka,"_ the hologram of Yosho, with handsome face, somewhat round because he was still in his teenage years, with those royal purple eyes inherit to all of her father's family flanked by his mother's dark hair in thick, chin length side bangs, dressed in his preferred royal dress with that blue scarf with orange and red geometric shapes on it wrapped around his shoulders with the two long ends hanging over his right shoulder, " _Tomorrow I must leave to give pursuit and bring to battle the rampaging, dangerous criminal that recently attacked our empire and our home. Only I can do this, for the fleet and our Lord Father are both needed to ensure stability and reestablish our defense patrols."_

Ayeka can only sit there, listening to what she knows by heart after so long.

" _But you do not need to worry,"_ the hologram continues, " _For I shall defeat this threat and restore the honor of our empire and the strength of law to the galaxy. Upon which, I shall return home in very short order,"_ here, a gentle smile meant fo her and her alone, " _And when I do-"_

"When you were to return," Ayeka interrupted the hologram, sniffling at the memory, "I was to be your bride."

Her eyes glisten with unshed tears as she tilts her head downward and reaches out with her hand for the Tenchi-ken.

"But you never returned."

Hand closing around the sword and lifting it up to her eye level. Ayeka finally lets the tears out. Tears held in for so long.

' _Yosho.'_

And with that, she has a quiet moment to shed her tears at the very real possibility, that all she has left of him, are the Tenchi-ken and Hinata-bo.

 **XXXX**

Unaware that Sasami's older sister had just cried herself to sleep as the lights go out, Tenchi finds himself overlooking the approach Sasami wants to use to Ayeka's personal room.

' _More like villa,'_ Tenchi thinks to himself. ' _But at least it's quite tasteful and looks peaceful. Like an actual retreat instead of a statement.'_

"My sister's room is right over there," Sasami indicates the obvious they have been scouting for the last 20 minutes or so.

"See," she points to a particularly exposed balcony, "She's asleep now, so you know what to do now."

Turning to the girl besides him and wondering what the heck this is all about, "Yeah, I think so," Tenchi swears there is something being left out of this, "Get her hair ornament or something like that, is that right?"

"That's right," Sasami confirms and Tenchi does _not_ like the look on her face.

Reminds him of Hinata when the girl is actually planning a prank.

"But why should I?" Tenchi questions one last time, "It does belong to her, right?"

Sasami lets some of her irritation show, "Just get it!" the girl doesn't hiss, but it is clear she's annoyed by Tenchi's reluctance.

"Okay, okay, I'll get it," Tenchi grumbles as he gets up and starts to head out, "Just remember your promise."

Sasami closes her eyes and bobs her head with a 'Ah-huh' in response, with a huge smile plastered on her face and Tenchi _knows_ she's going to get it later from her sister.

Hinata learned the hard way that he could get her a whole lot better.

"Don't worry," Tenchi states, whether to himself or Sasami will forever be left unknown as he heads down the small embankment they had been hiding atop behind some tall grass.

Tenchi makes good time, being sure to minimize his sound. Something he had long learned trying to surprise his grandfather. The lack of distinctive sounds surprises Sasami behind him, but the girl only takes it in stride and giggles in merriment and mirth and more than a little mischievousness.

Crossing the small stream without making too much noise, Tenchi rolls with his landing and comes up with a light jog. He moves across the open grass, surprised at the lack of security, though given how he's _inside_ a ship, he shouldn't be surprised, but still, what the heck is going on?

Meh!

He'll worry about never again. He'll be in and out. Little more than a shadow at this point.

He reaches the villa, checks. No response to his arrival. A moment later he's quietly up the stairs and entering through the balcony.

' _More like a porch or something,'_ Tenchi thinks and he's in without a sound or fuss, except for a quiet, "Sorry to barge in like this."

Sneaking through the villa like room, Tenchi soon passed a pair of pale purple and transparent curtains. As he looks around, Tenchi can't help, but note nearly everything is made of wood. He very quickly, though, reaches the bed, figuring that what he seeks will be on the bed stands or night stands next to it.

Instead, he finds the older sister, the one Ryoko was so worried about, asleep in her bed.

And he had has to admit, the sight is rather… serene in its own way. More to the point, he's surprised by the simple beauty that the young woman has. He can see the general outline of her build through her blankets and can also just see her face and note the shoulders of her a pair of what has to be simple pajamas.

' _Nothing like back in the capital,'_ Tenchi thinks, remembering the night clothes he and his siblings- he pushes that aside.

Now is most definitely not the time.

As he shakes his head, he takes immediate note.

"Oh you gotta be kidding me!?" Tenchi hisses beneath his breath, "She's wearing it! How am I supposed to get that?"

And why did he have a funny feeling he shouldn't be touching it in the first place. Like it is a mark of her station or something. Like a…

Oh _hells NO!_

"That little…" Tenchi trials off when he spots something much better, "The sword!" he whispers sharply under his breath, "She's got it right in her hand," how easy is that?

Then taking a look around, "First things first," Tenchi then reaches for the sword to take it from her hand.

' _What a grip,'_ he mentally whines as he struggles to free the sword with just his thumb and pointer.

Adjusting to grab the top part as best he can, Tenchi leans over the sleeping princess beneath. Yet her grip keeps being firm. He can't just yank, as that would wake her up in an instant. So he has to work carefully.

Unfortunately, the material of his pant leg, covered in some grass and dirt, slips on the blankets. Throwing his arms out, Tenchi prevents himself from falling on the sleeping Ayeka. With careful calm and ease, Tenchi manages to right himself without disturbing her and decides to go around the bed and try from the safer side.

Only to be frustrated when Ayeka rolls over and takes the sword with her to the side where he had previously been!

"Yosho. Yosho," he can hear her mumble in her sleep and Tenchi can't help, but sigh sadly.

Yosho had died a long time ago. If he had to guess, she and him were supposed to be long lived together. From the way she is calling out his name, he could only guess they had been meant to marry.

' _Sorry to tell you,'_ Tenchi thinks forlornly, ' _Not only did he become trapped on Earth,'_ concluding rightly that Yosho's ship must have been destroyed in battle with Ryo-Ohki, even the legends spoke that Yosho's 'dragon' had been felled in combat, but if what Ryoko said was true, ' _He was too badly wounded to survive long and instead married and fathered a line on Earth instead.'_

Truly, Tenchi and Hinata need to leave with their uncle and, of course, Dame Nu.

The less contact they had with her, the better.

Eventually, deciding to be quick, Tenchi ends up on his hands and knees, straddling over her sleeping form. At least he isn't on her. That would wake her in a moment and be awkward to say the least.

Now applying both hands, he tries to wrest the sword from her hand. He has to admit, though, as he struggles to get it. She's got a grip like Ryoko. Are all aliens this strong? No wonder why they've avoided Earth. It wouldn't be even the end of the first ten minutes and they would have been beaten.

No sport whatsoever.

As Tenchi struggles to get the sword from the seemingly delicate hand, probably still is, but not by Earth standards, Ayeka lips and eyelids begin to tremble. Throughout his struggles, Tenchi is inadvertently awakening the sleeping princess.

Too soon, Ayeka's lips part to breath in air to circulate through her awakening body. Her eyes also slowly open, focusing as they do so. Her mind, with air delivered by her blood to the brain, and receiving the visual information from her quickly attune with her fast returning hearing. In just a few short moments, she's mostly awake.

And very aware of an intruder on her bed, above her, and in a compromising position.

Though, if Tenchi were permitted to tell what happened, one of Ayeka's legs swung about with enough force to knock his left leg out of position and out from under him, causing him to lose balance and fall atop Ayeka.

Which, sadly, is the very truth of the matter currently happening.

The impact did nothing to Ayeka, other than put her into a compromising position. She did not even have the wind knocked out of her by Tenchi falling onto her.

On the other hand, Tenchi's landing on her, put her in quite the position. Tenchi had been able to get his arms placed so he didn't wind up smacking his face into hers. Though, unfortunately, that put them in a position, where it looks like the two are about to kiss.

They are also laying flat against one another. Looking like a pair of lovers in the act to a casual observer.

But while Tenchi can note how beautiful Ayeka actually looks, Ayeka is momentarily taken back by how Tenchi resembles her dearly beloved Yosho. Ayeka can even see some of the firm lines of her father's appearance in Tenchi's face, as well as those eyes that she could always feel happily lost in. Eyes like Yosho's.

And with that thought, she realizes it isn't Yosho. It's that Earthling boy. How did he get out? No, more importantly, how in the name of Tsunami, did he get into her bedroom without being noticed?!

And their position, Ayeka begins to do what comes naturally to such surprised women in that position.

She begins to scream, only for Tenchi to cover her mouth with both hands, neither aware he's holding the Tenchi-ken in his hand.

"I know what this looks like," Tenchi laughs that nervous laugh of a man who is the walking dead and knows it, "I can explain if we just stay calm and- OMPHF!"

Ayeka had managed to pull her legs back and position her feet.

Despite the position, she manages to launch Tenchi off her. He flies off her bed, a clattering sound occuring as her blankets also go flying, inadvertently taking the Hinata-bo with it.

"Oh man, that could have been a worse landing," Tenchi mutters as he realizes he has the Tenchi-ken and the Hinata-bo is next to him.

While jolted from the landing, he's been through worse. Having literal Heavy Artillery land its fire only yards from you, can have that effect on people who aren't shredded, roasted, liquefied, and/or pulped by it. As such, he recovers with good speed and in time too.

"Huh?" Tenchi holds up the article of clothing and suddenly remembers Ryoko far too well.

"I'm dead."

"KYAAAAA!" Ayeka covers her topless form that Tenchi got a brief look at.

"So dead."

"AZAKA! KAMIDAKE!" Ayeka shrieks as Tenchi grabs the Hinata-bo and bolts immediately.

"Yes Ma'am?" the two Guardians of Jurai materialize on either side of Ayeka's bed as she points towards Tenchi's retreating form.

"I WANT YOU TWO TO PUT THAT SCANDRAL TO DEATH!" the irate and embarrassed princess shouts, only to see that Tenchi has already made it to the end of the corridor and is in the process of jumping the rail of the porch, "Oh my, how quickly he runs."

 **XXXX**

Moments later, outside the small personal quarters, he doesn't care what it is at this point, Tenchi is dodging either laser or maser or some sort of beam attack from the two pursuing Guardians who are doing their best to make it quick and painless.

"Here we come," the two Guardians state and repeat, "Here we come. Here we come."

Maybe it was just their whatever passes for programming.

Tenchi dodges a pair of close shots and manages another old trick in the book...

The classic, tree branch.

It actually works too, stunning both Guardians for all of 20 seconds.

But that's 20 seconds more to put distance between them and him and then they have to reacquire him before continuing pursuit, let alone shooting at him.

That takes all of 98 additional seconds. Almost two minutes. Sufficient time to put distance between them and him as Tenchi homes in on the child laughing her head off at his misfortune.

Up the embankment, Tenchi scoops up Sasami as he reaches the top at full sprint, "Very funny, now let's get out of here!"

"Here we- Hey/What?!" the two Guardians process that there is a second party.

Princess Sasami.

Wordlessly, the two Guardians agree to tone down their firepower in order to capture the fleeing male, so as not to needlessly endanger the younger princess.

"You're logs are trying to kill me!" Tenchi shouts as he keeps running, carrying Sasami in a bridal carry, with her arms wrapped around his neck.

"They're my sister's!" Sasami responds, "There's nothing I can do to stop them!"

She's finding so much enjoyment out of this! She hadn't been able to have fun in years. Plus cryo sleeping for so long hadn't allowed her to dream.

"So they're programed to obey one royal and not two!" Tenchi shouts, showing he's figured it out.

"How did you know that?" Sasami tries to act innocent.

"Because I know what crowns look like!" Tenchi responds as they reach a fork in the path.

After a few frantic moments of trying to figure things out, Sasami points, "Go that way," and Tenchi heads in that direction. Guiding the older teenage boy, Sasami guides him to a tree with a large opening in its base, "Hurry. Go in there."

Suddenly Tenchi finds himself falling down a hole with green lights flashing by all around and suddenly having an idea how Alice felt when she went down the rabbit hole.

 **XXXX**

Ryoko is laying on her side as she yawns, utterly bored and knowing she's been caught again. In the other two cells near her are Hinata and that woman, Villetta something or other that is short. Both are clearly already quite miserable instead of bored, though understandable as Villetta only managed to get a shirt and her underwear on with a pair of sandals and Hinata is in a mismatched set of a skirt and using a towel to cover up her top.

Seriously, Ryoko's heart went out to both. She's betting it's just a mix up that Ayeka is unaware of. The spoiled princess is many things, sadistic or hedonistic like this ain't one of them.

Suddenly, Ryoko's strong hearing picks up the sound of an air pressure change, a Juraian hatch sliding open, and what sounds oddly like a small Juraian lift heading their way.

Turning over to have a look see, she's just in time to see Tenchi with a Juraian girl in his arms pop up from a literal hole in the ground.

Of course, the landing could have been stuck better. The girl landed on her feet alright, but Tenchi. Ryoko isn't really all that surprised he landed on his back. Still…

"Well, look who's here!" Ryoko exclaims, that is the surprising part. That Tenchi would show up like he just did. She knew he had to be held somewhere else in all this mess.

Holding his head where he hit it after he fell, Tenchi lets out a pained hiss and, "Oww," before taking a look around, "Now where are we?"

"You who! You who! Tenchi!" Ryoko's voice causes him to turn to it and see the space pirate in a similar cell that he was in earlier.

Growling in annoyance, "There you are Ryoko."

Leaning through an opening, but making no attempt to try and escape, Ryoko welcomes the Earthling boy, "You showed up just in time."

Tenchi is before her in an instant, "You got us into this mess, now you have to get us out!"

Then looking around, he spots them. In the cells just off Ryoko's left and right, Dame Nu also leaning out, though with one hand trying to keep her shirt… Wait a minute! Isn't that one of _his_ shirts?!

Yeah it is!

Fortunately, the button up one, one of his favorite he will never be able to wear again after this, that is longer in length and slightly more shouldered and thicker that he used during winter.

Made it easier to wear thermal underwear up at his grandpa's place, along with several shirts underneath if need be.

But still, the Britannian Knight is a few centimeters taller than Tenchi. Well… More like a good few inches. So while the shirt is long on Tenchi, Villetta Nu has to hold it down to hide her modesty, which doesn't help much as it definitely shows in the top that it was meant for a boy, not a full grown woman.

Tenchi pulls his mind back into place and spots Hinata, holding a towel and at least having a skirt on. She's looking at him hopefully. He'll get to her in a moment. Probably after beating up Ryoko and taking her outfit so Dame Nu has some clothes that would fit and his shirt can then cover Hinata.

Win-Win.

Still, this is the woman that needs to be conscious and willing to help to get them home.

"Okay you!" Tenchi states angrily, "I've been tricked, shot at, and everything else that's happened today, so that said, I want to go home right now and you better put us _all_ back there safely, do I make myself clear!"

"You know," Ryoko starts off with a big smile on her face, "I would love to help, but without the other two jewels, I can't do anything."

Then dropping the faux smile, "So stop yelling and get me out of here."

"Oh I intend to get you out," Tenchi suddenly smiles and Ryoko suddenly feels a chill up her spine, " _and_ make you stay put until I'm satisfied that you worked off every problem that you caused," Tenchi's drops the smile as he glares in a way that makes Ryoko now realizing she forgot just how, uh, vindictive Tenchi can get when it comes to his family's safety.

 _Especially_ Hinata's safety.

As she opens her mouth to protest, or at least to beg not get put back in that cave, Tenchi beats her to the punch, almost literally too as his fist slams against one of the vines.

"That _includes_ putting you back in that cave, if I have too!"

"EEP!" Ryoko is just about to recoil when the Tenchi-ken glows and the vines part, dumping Tenchi on his face and leaving her briefly safe from his wrath.

Ryoko blinks at the moment of being saved, but also realizes, she needs to act quick.

Kneeling down, she swipes the Hinata-bo and is that Ayeka's pajama top? How did he? Save it for later.

Especially as Hinata-bo is starting to glow blue. Knowing what will happen and seeing an opportunity too, Ryoko snatches the female article of clothing, wraps the bo-staff in it and then…

"Catch Hinata!"

Toss the pair over to the younger sister, who catches the wrapped package with ease.

The vines start to respond, but as soon as Hinata grips the Hinata-bo, the vines stop and part, letting her out.

Without hesitation, Hinata also throws on the top. Then she dashes across the area of wherever they are and whatever it is, to let Dame Nu out and give her the towel to cover up her modesty.

Feeling a tug on her clothes as she stands up, Ryoko turns to the, "Excuse me," to see the Juraian child smiling up at her with her eyes clothes.

"Who's this?" Ryoko is a bit surprised. It can't be a servant's daughter. Ayeka, and most Juraian royalty for that matter, wouldn't drag along their servants such a long search without a good reason.

So who's the girl?

The girl bows politely, "Hello, nice to meet you," she straightens up and looks up at Ryoko with a pair of eyes that Ryoko swears are hauntingly familiar in their own way, "I'm Sasami."

"Oh, wha-" then it clicks.

Oh shi-

Sasami, having turned to face Tenchi points up at Ryoko, "Tenchi who is this older lady?"

And Ryoko's mind promptly derails at being called 'older' lady by a Juraian _half-pint!_

"Is she a friend of yours also?" Sasami finishes, seemingly unaware and possibly very much so, though Tenchi doubts it, of Ryoko suddenly looking like someone just called her an old maid.

' _And in all likelihood,'_ he thinks as he checks the vines, wondering why they parted so easily for him when he didn't give the command, ' _Sasami just_ did _call Ryoko an old maid.'_

"Yes I'm his friend," Ryoko leans down and Tenchi knows better than to step into that one, as the space pirate all, but slaps audibly her hand on top of Sasami's head and begins to rock it side to side, "But I'm not an _older_ lady, you know what I mean little girl."

"Wow, you're strong lady," Sasami manages out, realizing how that backfired on her, especially as the sounds of her neck and shoulder joints, "That hurts."

"No mercy from me," Villetta mutters, having been called an old maid before and she's not even 30!

"She tricked my brother," Hinata mutters and then looks at the oversized top she's wearing, "And this is a girl's top too."

Tenchi stops his examination of the vines that make the jail. There's really no point in checking them out. After this, he'll be done with space adventures unless he's reading them or playing a game. Not living them.

"Hey that sword belongs to Yosho!" Sasami exclaims, seeing Tenchi-ken in Tenchi's hands.

"What? Yosho?" Tenchi responds as he stops in mid step.

Just how famous was his ancestor for a space princess to be in love with him and for another, younger one, to recognize his sword?

"Uh-huh," Sasami steps forward a few steps and then puts a hand up to her mouth, trying to figure something out, "How come you were able to use it?"

Before he can respond, Ryoko claps her hands together and begins speaking, "Oh yes. Show me that sword of yours?"

Tenchi, realizing she's putting him on the spot, attempts to back away, but Ryoko easily walks over to Tenchi and puts her hands on his shoulders stopping him, "Nothing to worry about."

"Wait! You can't touch that!" Tenchi manages out.

"Come on, just relax," Ryoko starts and as she holds Tenchi intimately closer, trapping his hand and Tenchi-ken between her and him, "Be quiet," and with that, she starts to channel energy through the two gems in the sword and the one on her wrist, when the Hinata-bo, fully extended, crashes into the back of her skull.

" _OWWW! WHAT THE HELL?!"_ the Osaka dialect is back in full force as she turns to see the edge of the Hinata-bo right before her nose and causing her to go cross eye before everyone is interrupted.

" _STOP!"_ a commanding and regal feminine voice orders, causing everyone to turn and look at a fully dressed Princess Ayeka, flanked by her Guardians, though she also has her arms crossed, making sure to ward off anything… untowards.

"And here comes the princess," Ryoko manages to hiss out, "Late as usual. Couldn't you have shown up a few seconds earlier to save me a whack to my head!?"

Ignoring her long time rival, Ayeka's gaze promptly goes to Sasami, her little sister, who is now hiding behind Tenchi's larger form.

"Sasami!" Ayeka is first surprised and then more than a little angry, "I see it was you who released him. I cannot believe this," then shifting to a more neutral look, "You really shouldn't have done that."

Looking moressful, Sasami does look apologetic, "Really, I'm sorry. I was just bored," the girl answers in a subdued voice.

"That's no excuse!" Ayeka's scolding causing Sasami to flinch and hide further behind Tenchi.

Turning her attention from her sister, who will be shipped back to their mother once matters are dealt with to be dealt with, though even she has a mediocre of desire to sweep it under the rug to shield Sasami from their mother, she instead focuses solely on Tenchi, though the sight of the Hinata-bo responding to the younger girl is already forming a lump in her throat, she pushes it down to speak.

"You there, Tenchi," she begins, "I believe your name is Tenchi."

"Yes ma'am," Tenchi nods while keeping an eye on her, the Guardians flanking her, and the vines around them.

Nodding her thanks, "I have a question I would like to ask of you."

Knowing where this will go, Tenchi tries to maintain an innocent look and failing miserably, "Sure, what can I do for you?"

"Where is the owner of the sword you hold?" Princess Ayeka inquires.

Tenchi winces, knowing how this one will go, "I'm afraid he passed away a really long time ago."

"YOU ARE LYING!" Ayeka immediately responds as her eyes glisten with fresh unshed tears.

"I'm not your highness," Tenchi nods solemnly, "But the ancient legends and historical documents indicate that he _did_ die around 700 years ago."

Stepping forward, hoping against hope, "What was his name?" her voice almost comes out too silent to hear.

With sad sigh, "Princess Ayeka," Tenchi begins softly enough, "The legend speaks of a hero named Yosho who arrived upon a dragon and did battle with Ryoko," he truly does feel for her, "The legend states it was a great battle that reshaped the landscape and the dragon was slain as it felled Ryo-Ohki with a defiant last attack. Though he survived the battle, Ryoko confirmed through what little she remembers, that he was badly wounded and if the dragon was his ship, then he was also stranded on Earth, with no hope of calling for rescue."

"Oh no," her worst fears, realized as she chokes up.

"I apologize for your loss," Tenchi truly does, but also begins indicating Hinata and himself, "We're told we are his descendants and given how we can use his sword and his wife's bo staff, I can only summarize that to be true. That after the battle, trapped, badly wounded, he married a woman named Kasumi, who was said to be a niece of woman named Funaho, that was taken by a god king as a wife and left for the heavens with him, even though an earthly emperor had repeatedly tried to gain her hand in marriage himself."

"Funaho?" Kamidake turns to Azaka.

"I recall that Her Majesty was stated to have had a sister," Azaka responds to his comrade, knowing what that means.

"Pretty much the very truth," Ryoko nods, "Too bad too. I really didn't think that badly of him, even if he did put me-"

"IT ISN'T TRUE!" Ayeka suddenly shouts, "You're only trying to trick me," Ayeka then points forward, "Azaka, Kamidake."

"Yes Ma'am," the two Guardians begin their advance on the four.

"Ayeka!" Sasami begins to shout when she suddenly finds the back of her clothes being grabbed and she's suddenly being pulled off her feet.

The person who grabbed her turns out to be Ryoko, "Order your blockheads to pull back," the space pirate orders, even as she creates a short beam sword that she holds near Sasami.

"Oh great, you just had to antagonize her more," Villetta states, knowing how this will end up now.

Ayeka is, in fact, not deterred as her Guardians stop short, awaiting the moment to move forward.

"You play dirty to the end," Ayeka states in a low, angry voice, even as her crown's central jewel glows, causing restraint vines to appear above and behind Ryoko and race down, ensnaring her before she can even realize the danger.

"Huh?" Ryoko finds she can't maintain her fist and so her crimson blade vanishes as she's hulled upwards, dropping Sasami to her feet with a surprised sound.

"Bye-bye lady," Sasami replies in a monotone voice and seeing Ryoko hogtied up in midair.

"Sasami, come here," Ayeka orders her and as the smaller girl turns, she sees the blue marked Azaka advancing on Tenchi, who is looking ready to fight.

Running over and putting herself in the way, arms spread wide, "Get back Azaka!" the younger princess shouts on the looming Guardian.

"Ack!" Tenchi shouts, seeing Hinata ably poking the red marked Kamidake from advancing, "Dammit, we don't have time for this!" turning to Azaka with a growl, not noticing the Tenchi-ken suddenly glowing a soft blue light, "Just get back already!"

Suddenly the capture vines reverse course.

Both Azaka and Kamidake found themselves being the ones restrained. Pull with all of their might they want, they weren't getting free any time soon.

And at the same time, Ryoko finds herself being released. Immediately going into a roll to get her feet beneath, the space pirate lands with cat-like grace.

"What are you doing Tenchi?" all of her previous attitudes gone. Nothing boisterous, cocky, or self-assured, but a serious, straight forward woman who isn't one to beat around the bush.

Both Tenchi and Sasami blink, seeing Azaka no longer able to get at them while Villetta and Hinata simply wonder wide eye at what's going on.

"What's happening, I gave you an order to capture them," Ayeka takes in the scene and tries to regain control over her defenses, but finds she cannot and doesn't understand how until she spots the glowing Tenchi-ken, "The sword," she realizes, which has the power to override her authority, "The master key is insync with him, but it shouldn't react to anyone, save those of royal blood," wracking her mind, "So how can it-"

Cold realization hits Ayeka as she collapses to her knees, "No… It cannot be. No it cannot be true."

All any of those can do, is stare at the collapsed princess as she realizes the terrible truth she was told only moments ago. That the man she loves and pines for… is dead.

Ryoko, though, manages to shake it off and turns to reach out and pull Tenchi to her, "Tenchi," she starts, "Call Ryo-Ohki."

"Uh, huh?" is the intelligent response.

"You want to go home, don't you," Ryoko responds with more a statement than a question.

Only to have Tenchi get in her face, "Only if you return our house too!"

"I can't believe," Ayeka continues, "I won't believe it!" she moves to get up at the declaration, "It is impossible!"

"Suit yourself," Ryoko responds as Ryo-Oh starts to shake violently, "But you might want to get out of the way."

And with that, and a loud growl, Ryo-Ohki breaches the underside of Ryo-Oh with her central spire, knocking both Ayeka and her Guardians around, though before Ayeka can hit the deck of her ship and become hurt, Tenchi manages to manipulate the capture vines to reach out and grab her and gently lay her down next to Sasami who kneels next to her stunned sister in some worry.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," Ryoko states with all seriousness, "And be thankful for Tenchi's kindness and quick wits," pulling the boy, "Let's go now!"

Villetta and Hinata are fast charging to join the two, with the Britannian woman managing to grab Tenchi's outstretched hand and then Hinata's own reaching hand, enabling all four to safely enter Ryo-Ohki.

Ryoko also manages a parting, "Thank you little girl," to Sasami who only raises a hand and opens and closes it as she responds, "Bye-Bye Tenchi."

Moving herself into a sitting position and shaking off her condition, Ayeka manages to issues orders as she frees her Guardians.

"Azaka, Kamidake," she shouts as she manages to get her feet beneath her, "We must do something quickly, before that woman decides to maroon us on the planet below!"

Knowing her rival so well, Ayeka is not a fool to believe that Ryoko won't even think of that. In fact, she's expecting it right now.

"Yes ma'am," Azaka manages out as he rights himself, Kamidake following suit as both teleport to the bridge to prevent the ship from being crashed.

"I will never forgive that woman," Ayeka states with twitching eyebrows and eyes, though she may very well forgive the boy for saving her from potentially serious injury.

"You always say that Ayeka," Sasami responds from her spot next to Ayeka, which promptly took the wind of out of her sails.

"Oh be quiet you!" Ayeka starts off in a huff, "You let the boy out who let her out!"

"But you didn't have permission to hold them in the first place!" Sasami defends.

"I was thinking of a reason when this mess happened!" Ayeka shoots back as she takes a teleporter to the bridge.

"What am I going to do with you Ayeka," Sasami sighs suffering from the fact that Ayeka and Ryoko always managed to get under one or the other's skin at the worst times.

Then a familiar feeling, "Yes, I know, but still…" Sasami shakes her head, "No. We should be fine. You know Ryoko better than me," nodding, "So that's what has been troubling you?"

Sasami takes a moment to look towards Earth, "Then things _will_ be changing, huh."

She needs no answer to that statement.

 **XXXX**

 **On Ryo-Ohki's Bridge**

 **XXXX**

Materializing together, Ryoko, Tenchi, Villetta, and Hinata landed smartly and on their feet. Though the towel around Villeta's waist promptly fell away as the oversized, for her, pajamas top that Hinata was wearing did it very best to come off.

Not noticing the two frantic females behind him, as they dash for and shuffle through their discarded clothing, Tenchi began eyeing Ryoko as soon as they landed, knowing she has some kind of plan in and mind and it would likely not be the best idea to date.

"I'll make her follow us down to Earth," Ryoko states as the control orb and command crystals of the bridge finish arraying themselves around her, and by proxy, Tenchi as well, "As long as she's allowed to fly around up here, she's only going to give us trouble."

With a confident smirk, Ryoko is set in her plan.

Only for Tenchi to begin arguing with her.

"Don't do that!" Tenchi shouts at the space pirate, "You'll not only hurt, since I get the feeling that you mean for her to crash on Earth, but you'll leave her vulnerable to one of the power blocs and-"

Before he can finish, Ryoko grabs Tenchi by the front of his shirt, "Heeey!" she drawls out, "Who's side are you on anyway?" her attitude, reflected in her annoyed face and that Osaka accent, makes it clear the she's feeling a sense of betrayal, "If you like her so much, go join her."

"She's just a confused girl!" Tenchi protests immediately, about ready to drive Tenchi-ken into Ryoko's stomach again.

With a look that many would recall from her days as one of the most powerful and oft times, ruthless space pirate, Ryoko opens her mouth to respond, "So-"

That was as far as Ryoko got as someone else decided on the matter.

 **XXXX**

It had only been a brief glimpse of energy and a spear-like bolt of power.

But Azaka and Kamidake could do nothing more than throw up additional barriers as best they could.

They didn't have time to do much else. So busy worried over the incident starting in Princess Ayeka's princess quarters and stretching into the pursuit and more, they did not know when they lost stealth and became visible to attack.

The power, though, is such that it overwhelms the barriers, shattering them instantly and striking both vulnerable ships.

Energy arcs race across both ships as Ryu-Oh and Ryo-Ohki both violently jerk about while still connect. On both ships' bridges, Ayeka and Ryoko let out screams as their connections to their ships act as a source of feedback on both of them. The power so strong, that even Azaka and Kamidake are briefly knocked out and Sasami screams as her own ship is also affected.

 **XXXX**

"What the devil was that?!" Villetta holds the smoking Ryoko as she feels the ship maneuver erratically under her legs.

"No clue!" Tenchi growls as he tries to figure out how to control Ryo-Ohki, before realizing, that even if she wasn't shocked into unconsciousness, even Ryoko wouldn't be able to regain control.

"We're tipping!" Hinata screams as the two ships turn inverted and Ryo-Ohki suddenly applies a full powered burst of energy to dive into the atmosphere.

 **XXXX**

"Ryo-Ohki's mass is growing abnormally," became the first thing she hears while recovering.

"Don't we have control?" is the second thing she hears next.

"They seem to have used the Master Key to severe our control," the third voice.

Then the alarms, the violently shaking, explosions. Despite the pain in her body, and most pointedly in her head, Princess Ayeka calls up all of her will power to regain her senses and take command over her throbbing body.

"Report!" she manages from her sore throat, feeling raw and rough like sandpaper.

She could use some water. By Tsunami! She feels like she could settle into a lake to float and drink all she could, simply to be rid of the pressure on her joints and how her chest feels so tight as to struggle to breath.

"Ayeka!" Sasami isn't much better off. Her clothes burned and sizzled from the surge of power.

Azaka and Kamidake are also blackened, though unlike her and Sasami, they both stand resolute, being built to take far worse. Indeed, they have been struggling to get control over both ships since coming back to rather quickly. The two having severed their own main connections just in time.

"Descent velocity increasing," Azaka reports, "If we were to fall to Earth at this rate, even our ship, Ryu-Oh, would not escape without serious damage."

"Where is Ryoko?" Ayeka demands immediately, "Even she should be aware of the damage Ryo-Ohki could take!"

"We have established communications with Ryo-Ohki," Kamidake reports at once, "But we have been informed that Ryoko is still unconscious and described as being an overdone steak with several serious burns on her and still smoking fresh from the oven."

Ayeka felt her own pain at that. Realizing belatedly she too, had been badly burned. Which explains why she felt like she felt.

Especially as she realizes the pain in her chest must be from when she fell off her command deck. She had landed on a couple of stones. She may have bruised or even broken ribs. It also explained her head.

XXXX

With the increase in velocity, pieces of both Ryu-Oh and Ryo-Ohki began to tear off in increasing chunks as neither ship had their full shields, if at all. They were tough, though. So the re-entry friction hasn't been able to breach dangerously, but even Living Ships of Jurai and Ryo-Ohki both have limits and as another section on Ryu-Oh cracks and then explodes from the intense heat.

 **XXXX**

"What can we do get Ryoko conscious again?" Ayeka is looking for answers, becoming frustrated with the situation.

"Nothing at this time," Azaka reponds just as frustrated, but masking it far better.

Turning to Sasami, "What about your ship Sasami?"

The girl shakes her head sadly, "My connection will need time and I couldn't launch anyways even if I tried."

"Twenty Seconds to Earth's surface!" Kamidake notes with unmasked concern.

XXXX

Down below, alarms had been sounding since the two ships' fireball had become visible. Civilians were being evacuated as best as could be managed. The Tokyo Settlement, far to the north, had been briefed on the incoming object, as neither ship could be discerned separately by the confused radar arrays.

It _is_ immediately clear that a land or water impact would be disastrous. Missile batteries were being aimed, but the speed of the incoming object is faster than the best fire control computers. Rockets are being readied for a volley, but even then, there just isn't time.

Viceroy Prince Clovis la Britannia sits at the head of an emergency meeting, his right leg bouncing uncontrollable as he holds his hands before his face, shielding the lower of it as he watches the LIVE feed through multiple sources.

What is going on? First a burst of exotic energy and then a bright light, almost razor thin by view in their location. Now a falling object?

And strange orders from his father, the 98th Emperor of the Holy Empire of Britannia, and even stranger movements by OSI.

What _is_ happening?

"If that mass impacts," someone is speaking about the result of an impact, "We're talking an explosion that will likely set off tectonic and volcanic activity, to say nothing of tidal action!"

"A wave could form that could even reach the Homeland, utterly destroying the California Base on the theoretical tables we've been able to form!"

"We're still refining those!" a third voice shouts.

"We've known about the possibility for years from our understaffed and underfunded Space Agencies!" the second voice shouts back.

Of course. His father's will for the military to have such a lion share of the national treasury, meant that such government elements as their space agencies, were drastically cut. So now, they pay the price for if this impact is as bad as being said, it means that Britannia's Pacific-based Military might could very well be crippled.

Which would upset the power balance between the three blocs.

Oh joy.

 **XXXX**

With no recourse and the inevitable about to happen, Ayeka makes the final decision.

"Explode Exterior Wall Units!"

 **XXXX**

High above, but only seconds from crashing into Earth, Ryu-Oh detonates its exterior sections. These sections only give him shape and form and thus, have nothing inside. They are there to protect him and his mistress, inside his core.

The explosion of the exterior sections throw out their own pressure wave and scatter debris far and wide.

The explosion of the exterior sections also change the course of the two ships, while reducing their descent velocity by almost half.

But even that descent velocity is still so high that when Ryu-Oh hits the water down below him and Ryo-Ohki, the two attached ships start skipping across the water, tumbling as they go.

A span of the Great Seto Bridge is hit by the bouncing ships in their final skip before both ships just disappear.

 **XXXX**

Later that day

 **XXXX**

"Lord Governor, nothing to report," the radio operator passes on the message from one of the recovery teams.

"I see," the man replies as he rubs his eyes.

"Sheesh," one of his aides lets out his annoyance, "The Emperor sure wants us to keep looking for a rock instead of two airships that violated our airspace."

"It's probably connected," another aide states, but the gathered men and women are all tired from the events of the last 24 hours.

With a growl, the governor makes up his mind, "Inform OSI and His Majesty that the object has not been detected nor is it likely to have just come to a stop so easily found," the man turns to look at the engineers going over the wrecked bridge span, "If it has landed in my area, it is in waters that are too deep for my resources and therefore is the Imperial Navy's concern or given how we have yet to find evidence of it coming to a halt," he turns to the radio operator who would have to send the message, "It could have still had enough built up velocity to have skipped well into the Sea of Japan or the Pacific without us being able to notice it."

"To say nothing of landing in Lake Biwa or some other deep water well removed from our ability to investigate," another aide tiredly puts it.

"Agreed," the governor states as he turns back to the bridge.

Fortunately, the link is so vital, that the Tokyo Settlement will be sending all the aid it can and then some to restore it as soon as possible.

Got to love Construction Model Knightmares.

They do quick work.

 **XXXX**

Eating his breakfast, Masaki Nobuyuki is watching the news of what happened while he was in the state he was in throughout.

"My word!" he exclaims between bites, "Take a look at that. It's a major story!"

Then noticing his exhausted nephew.

"Hey," putting his rice bowl and chopsticks down, "What's wrong Tenchi? You don't look well at all."

With a non-committal sound confirming he is not well with a shake of his head, Nobuyuki continues on.

"Cheer up!" raising his chopsticks and rice bowl high with a confident look on his face, "We got back safely, didn't we," it is a statement, "You should be thankful for that."

"I could have lived without the excitement though," Hinata mutters from between her brother and uncle.

"Of course," there is a downside as well, "Our house is now literally right by your grandfather's shrine," the man lowers his chopsticks and rice bowl before leaning towards his niece and nephew, "But I think that's kind of convenient, don't you think so you two?"

"Here," Ryoko suddenly speaks up, placing a pair of bowls of food before each of the siblings, "Eat this. It will make the both of you big and strong and help recover from what happened."

Tenchi and Hinata turn to Ryoko, who sits next to Tenchi.

The space pirate is still wearing bandages and has her top only half covering her, revealing how much of her torso is wrapped in burn bandages. Her left hand has two fingers in splints to keep the fractured digits from moving too much until they've healed. Half her face is also covered in bandages and she's seated on a medical cushion with one exposed leg extended out to show it wrapped from the toes to under well under her skirt.

Other bandages decorate her body as well.

Once her power is restored, she'll be able to recover her full health in very short order.

"We're fortunate I was able to regain consciousness in time," Ryoko states, full of her usual confidence, "That is why you were able to get through all of that with so much as a scratch because I took care of you at my own great and personal risk."

Then Sasami speaks up, "But most of the energy of the crash was absorbed by my sister's ship instead," then smiling, as best she can given the number of injuries she has, "See that's why you are okay."

"So that's why we landed like we did?" Ryoko holds her chopsticks to her lips as she looks up to the ceiling, thinking things through, then her eyes narrow in annoyance, "Uahh, I almost landed back in that damn cave."

Hinata snorts and shakes her head at that.

"Can this really be happening?" Villetta suddenly mumbles as she looks at her food, though she was furnished with silverware instead, "Can this really be happening?"

With a sigh, Nobuyuki reaches over and pats the woman and the back. Then leaving it there, he moves his hand in comforting circles. Something he had learned over the years when dealing with people trying to process things that they consider impossible, but happens anyways.

"That reminds me," Tenchi looks to his uncle with a suspicious gaze, "How did the Lord Governor know we ended up here and also know about Ryoko?"

The older man simply waves Tenchi's questions away, though he does explain it.

"Simple really Tenchi," Nobuyuki takes his hand from Villetta to continue to eat, she'll get out of her funk on her own, as is always the case, "The Lord Governor is not only blood kin and a member of the Masaki Clan, but he is also of a thought to be extinct Imperial Britannia line, same as with you and Hinata," the man only catches Villetta's drink to stop it from spilling as she gives a start to that news.

As startled as the pair of siblings.

"Ye-yup," Nobuyuki nods, "Way back in the Edo Period too. Can't remember precisely when, but it was around the time that Claire li Britannia was in Japan at the time. Interestingly enough, that when the Masaki Clan began investigating a strange new power that made perfectly no sense and we've known about it ever since."

"Is that what shot us down?" Sasami asks, surprised by the turn of events.

"Probably," Nobuyuki shrugs helplessly, "We don't know its full extent. Heck, we can't even find that woman who was handing that power out to people. Though she wasn't the only one mind you. So it's tough to say for sure," with a sigh, "I know that Sir Dash Lampouge of Britannia, who stayed to marry into a Japanese family, had it and he looked a lot like the late Lelouch vi Britannia would have looked if he had had a chance to grow up."

Tenchi and Hinata are not the only two to flinch at the names. Ryoko flinches as well, before pinning Nobuyuki with a powerful glare that shuts the man up.

Suddenly, Sasami lets out a yelp as she tries to lean on her elbows.

Like Ryoko, Sasami is also bandaged up. A minor head injury, a stupidly small cut above her left eye, is bandaged and wrapped. She's wearing a miko's haori that is a few sizes too large, but covers her up decently, as her ribs are bandaged and she's got a large medical patch over a nasty bruise on her right side. She has minor burns across her body like Ryoko does. Unlike Ryoko, though, Sasami's outfit had been too badly burnt and was essentially destroyed when it was removed by doctors, who had to cut large pieces out it which were seared to her flesh.

Like Ryoko, though, Sasami can heal up quickly once her Juraian abilities return to full force.

Not many races in space have that unique healing ability, though it would still take a few days for both.

Speaking of which...

"I thought there was another young lady with you?" Nobuyuki suddenly notes that they are one person short, "Where did she go?"

Ryoko turns, carefully as her body still protests certain movements, "She's over there," pointing with her chopsticks.

 **XXXX**

With a combination of exertion and pain, Ayeka makes a sound as she struggles to pull a piece of Ryu-Oh's outer hull out from under the wreckage of her ship.

Dressed only in a simple school skirt and a pair of her own sandals and socks, the only thing she rightly needs right now due to the fact she's even more heavily bandaged than her sister and Ryoko, Ayeka should be resting instead of trying to salvage her wrecked ship.

The area of her tiara crown is fine now. Ryu-Oh having sent her a small bit of power to heal that area of her head. Nevertheless, she still has her head wrapped in bandages from a concussion, resulting in her princess tails being undone and her long hair left to fan out along her back.

Her legs are almost entirely wrapped up. Her entire torso is either one massive bruise, front, back, and sides, or is bandaged to keep her bruised and cracked ribs from moving too much. Her left arms from behind the wrist to the shoulder is completely bandaged while her right hand is covered in bandages too. More to the point, despite wearing her own footwear, she has three toes immobilized due to almost being fractured on her right foot and her left ankle and heel are completely wrapped up to keep them from further harm.

Not that Ayeka is caring at the moment as she lands with a pained cry when the piece of wreckage finally comes free.

"Oh now what?" her eyes glisten with unshed tears of sorrow, frustration, and more turbulent emotions as her long time friend, Ryu-Oh sits, shipwrecked.

What will her father, mothers, and grandparents think of her now?

To say nothing of other retainers and clansmen and even the other clans!

 **XXXX**

Azaka and Kamidake note Princess Ayeka run pass them to go to the house. Neither make a move to assist their princess though. Both know of the impracticality of them trying to save Ryu-Oh who needs rest himself.

Though a panicked and frightened Princess Ayeka has yet to realize that herself.

"He is barely sitting where he is, isn't he?" Azaka sighs as Princess Ayeka starts to argue with Sasami about rescuing Ryu-Oh.

"Fortunately, the depth doesn't seem to bad," Kamidake responds, "As long as he doesn't slide further to the center of the lake."

"Indeed," Azaka states, sounding a bit bored, but he and Kamidake are also both still recovering from the whole misadventure they had just went through the night before.

That and inventorying everything they have managed to salvage from the ship. As long as Ryu-Oh isn't disturbed, he will recover in time.

But it will be a long time, requiring that they set up residence for the time being.

Then Ayeka goes running back before them, though this time, young Tenchi is right behind her.

"I can't get stranded on a remote planet like this," Ayeka states to herself as she carries pieces of Ryu-Oh in her arms as she rushes back to her ship, "I simply cannot!" not realizing that Tenchi is now right behind her, "I have to save my ship! My Ryu-OHHH!" Ayeka finds herself suddenly being lifted up as Tenchi wraps his arms around her and spins her around.

But in the process, Ayeka throws the debris she had in her arms, into the air and one piece flies high enough to come down and bop Ryu-Oh's core on the top.

In that moment, Ryu-Oh quakes and stirs, as though he will slide deeper into the lake and sink far down.

Instead, he lists towards lands and then begins to settle in much more shallower water.

In seconds, barely the top of the core is visible from the shore. Which proves a good thing, as a moment later, with Tenchi carrying the crying Ayeka bridal style back into the house, a Britannian Air Fleet Airship passes overhead, on a search mission for anything from the meteor that had crashed last night. As such, the ship completely misses the now submerged Ryu-Oh that had ended up taking all of his most obvious debris with him to the bottom.

The airship, seeing only a peaceful shrine and house and what they assume to be an old, shattered lake shrine in the waters below, moves on reporting nothing out of the ordinary despite being the ship with Dame Monica Krushevsky aboard it.

Tenchi stops momentarily to turn and look back up at the airship as it passes overhead.

He can see the crest of the Imperial Guard on it. His eyes narrowing in anger at the sight of the crest.

Ayeka, for her part, doesn't cry out as she feels Tenchi's hands tighten on her. Instead, she follows his gaze to the airship high above. A sight that is quite surprising for this world's level of technology. Yet, she can tell it is a military airship and for some reason, Tenchi is especially angered by it.

She wonders about that. Odd as it is. She could swear that in that moment he looked like someone else. A literal completely different person.

But once the ship is out of sight, his appearance returns to normal and his anger subsides.

What is it, about that ship, that makes Tenchi angry, Ayeka wonders as he carries her into the house and up to the room she and Sasami are sharing.

Once there, though, after tucking her into her bed, he reaches under the blankets and quickly and suddenly removes the skirt she was wearing, causing her to grasp.

"Until you have recovered enough," Tenchi starts off with the article, "You're not getting anything that will cover up your modesty, understood?"

And before she can argue, Tenchi hands the skirt off to the doctor that had been checking up on her and, uh oh, the woman looks like her mother when… This is not going to be gentle, is it?

Tenchi merely closes the shoji as the skirt flies back out and lands in Hinata's hands as Sasami sighs off to the side.

The boy though takes one step, then two, and nearly keels over as he puts a hand against the opposite wall while breathing hard and shaking.

"Why did _I_ have to remove the skirt?" he asks, both rhetorically and seriously, "Guys ain't supposed to do that!"

Ayeka's high pitched yelp as the doctor proves none too gentle to the stubborn princess is the only answer.

 **XXXX**

 **A/N:**

 **Okay! Sorry for this one being late. But getting it visualized towards the end was a twitch and a half. Finally I was able to come up with what I wanted. Then towards the end, I decided, 'Why have Ryoko maroon them like an idiot? Best to have something else take them out!'**

 **More on** ** _THAT_** **in the next chapter. In fact, it will be the opening of the chapter… I think. Might not be, so don't get your hopes up.**

 **And yes, there is some Renya references here. For good reason too. It helps build the story!**

 **Now, as for why it is coming out now, so close to the end of the year 2017, well… In this case, RL got in the way and interrupted by train of thought.**

 **Fortunately, good news here my friends and avid readers, I have been able to also start the planning of several scenes for the next chapter!**

 **As well as figure out how and when Villetta and Tenchi will realize they are in love.**

 **It also allowed me to finally build ideas around where how I wanted to work with Villetta. Now I have a firm idea. Plus it will tie into their eventual romance.**

 **It also allows me to start planning when Tenchi goes to Tokyo!**

 **And no, there will be no further involvement of Tenchi in Tokyo! The reference is only a coincidence, since there wasn't any other way to put it! So no Ryo-Ohki turning into a mini robot.**

 **I still have trouble wrapping my mind around the fact, that after her transformation** ** _and_** **eventual growth into a young woman, she and Tenchi had triplets!**

 **Also… I will use this A/N to announce something else…**

 **The planning for a Robotech/Macross crossover with the Tenchi series, most likely to be using the Tenchi Universe series, and a Muv-Luv/Tenchi crossover story, to be set in the Muv-Luv Alternative universe, though there is a possibility, though a large one, that it would be actually set in the Muv-Luv story verse as well or instead.**

 **Additionally, work will be continuing on other stories, just… Well… RL folks. You know how that goes. You get an idea, then you get bogged down with work and life taking the southbound train to 'Aw Hell No!'**

 **So… Hopefully I can get a second chapter out in the next two days. Wish me luck!**


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